Bats Don't Use Magic
by MermaidGirl34
Summary: Batman despises magic. But when Catwoman escapes to London and steals a magical cat statue, he is forced to confront it...and a prison sentence in a certain school of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Batman's in for a wild ride...but will he become too attached?
1. To London We Ride

Deep below Wayne Manor, where few are allowed to go, the Batcave stands in all its glory. Silent and foreboding with its massive caverns and nocturnal inhabitants, it is the perfect haven for a man of the night.

Not a sound disturbed the eerie stillness of that very cave now as its master sat before his computer silently, his black cape draping around his chair and a stony expression dominating his chiseled features.

The Batman.

Weary but vigilant as always, the Caped Crusader had just returned from a particularly exhausting encounter with the Joker. The smiling psychopath had thought it would be a brilliant idea for him and Harley to have a night on the town and visit Gotham's yearly Halloween charity carnival. As was to be expected, the citizens of Gotham didn't find it brilliant at all.

Causing havoc wherever he set foot, the Joker didn't make it five minutes in the carnival before the cotton candy stand was on fire, the popcorn machine exploded and the Ferris wheel was armed. Happy Halloween.

It was only natural that after having to deal with that that the Dark Knight was more than a little tired and beaten. His legs, in particular, were bleeding fairly heavily and required medical attention and probably some rest before they'd heal.

Nevertheless, Bruce Wayne, son of the late Thomas and Martha Wayne, would not rest. He had sworn on his parents' graves that he would protect Gotham City to his last breath and fight against injustice in the name of their murder, all those years ago in crime alley.

No, the Batman would not rest until the crime of the night was vanquished.

That thought in mind, Bruce fought through his exhaustion and pain and pulled up Joker's criminal file. He quickly added the crazy clown's newest destruction of Gotham property to his case files and closed it before he could see how long Joker's list of crimes had become.

Finished with that, Bruce got up just as his butler, Alfred Pennyworth, was descending the stairs to the Batcave.

"Master Bruce!" Alfred exclaimed, quickly setting down Bruce's dinner on one of the cave's many lab tables upon seeing his charge. "You are injured! You should have called for me the moment you returned!"

"I'm fine, Alfred." Bruce deadpanned, shaking off his old friend as the butler attempted to get him to sit back down. "It's just a scratch."

"It is very well not!" Alfred griped, forcing Bruce back into his chair and gathering his medical supplies. He then bent down and expertly began to dress Batman's still-bleeding wounds, carefully halting the bleeding, cleaning the cuts and bandaging them gingerly.

Bruce sighed. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Alfred," he said appreciatively.

Alfred gave him a look. "I don't believe I know either," he scolded. "If you never treat your wounds after battles you'll drop dead before you leave this God-forsaken cave."

Bruce smiled. "I would have gotten to them eventually," he argued playfully.

"I should hope so!" Alfred sniffed.

Suddenly, a loud, blaring alarm filled the cave and the Bat-computer's screen turned blood red, casting a foreboding reddish hue over the two men.

Without thinking, Bruce flipped on his cowl and turned to the computer, ignoring his half-dressed wounds. His fingers flew across the keyboard and in moments full details on the alert popped up on the screen. Batman's lensed eyes scanned the words quickly before he leaped out of his chair and raced towards the Batmobile in a flurry of black.

"Master Bruce!" Alfred called after him, holding the last bit of Bruce's bandage in his hands. "Your leg is not fully bandaged!"

If Bruce had heard him, he pretended not to as the Batmobile's engine roared to life and the sleek black vehicle zoomed out of the Batcave with a small burst of fire, disappearing into the night.

Alfred stared after him for a few minutes before shaking his head sadly and beginning to pick up his medical supplies. Clasping his First Aid kit shut, he picked up Bruce's uneaten dinner quietly and made his way back up to the manor.

"One of these days," he murmured to himself. "He will be the death of me."

~O~

The cold Halloween air chilled James Gordon slightly as he stood high above the ground on the rooftop of the GCPD, the Bat-signal shinning brightly over his head. He dug his hands deep inside his coat pockets and sighed, taking a drag on his cigarette as he waited.

"Commissioner," a deep voice said.

"Batman," Gordon greeted the vigilante, unresponsive to Batman's sudden silent appearance at his side. Having worked with the Dark Knight before, he was used to Batman's sudden appearances and disappearances. "Thanks for coming."

"It's Catwoman, isn't it," Batman said emotionlessly, his cape billowing around him mysteriously in the breeze.

The police commissioner shot him a sideways glance. "I'm not going to even ask how you know that," he said, taking his cigarette out of his mouth and stomping it out underneath his shoe. "She raided a jewelry store a week ago and the force has been trying to track her down ever since. It's taken a bit of work, considering we received no tips." He gave Batman another searching glance at this. "I suppose you've had bigger things on your hands to deal with, huh?"

Batman didn't answer.

Gordon sighed again. "Never mind," he murmured. "Anyway, we managed to find her apartment early tonight, paid for using a stolen credit card and a false name that we managed to track with some cross referencing. Selina was gone and the jewels were nowhere to be found, but we did find this."

He handed the detective a newspaper. "Headline caught our attention."

Batman's eyes narrowed as he scanned the page.

**THE LONDON TIMES**

**The Die Katze – Limited Time Showing at the Victoria and Albert Museum**

_The Victoria and Albert museum is proud to announce the limited showing of a priceless Egyptian artifact, the cat statue known as the Die Katze. The showing is an official kick-off for the opening of the museum's new Egyptian art exhibit, The Art of the Egyptians. The cat statue, worth over two million pounds, is an exquisite artifact crafted from sleek marble and adorned with rare ruby eyes. It's the prize jewel of the museum's Egyptian exhibit…_

Batman stopped reading the article and turned his attention to the large photograph that dominated the majority of the first page. It depicted a marble cat, carved in obvious Egyptian fashion with a slender cat body in a sitting position, its tail wrapped around its feet. Two giant ruby eyes sparkled in its eyes sockets.

His eyes narrowed and he handed the newspaper back to Gordon. "She's going to London," he growled.

"We can't confirm it, but that would be my guess," Gordon agreed. "This Die Katze statue is definitely up her alley. I already have the force calling the London police to notify them of the possible threat but I thought I'd let you know. You aren't going to go after her, are you?"

The Dark Knight didn't answer.

"Batman?" Gordon questioned, turning to look at the detective only to find that he had already gone, evaporated into the night.

The Commissioner shook his head and shut off the Bat-signal. "Every time," he murmured.


	2. Purrrfect!

Across the Atlantic and far, far away from Gotham City, Selina Kyle stepped out of the busy London airport and inhaled deeply. The grimy but somewhat familiar smell of the city greeted her senses and she smiled. She did always love a good vacation and London had been on her bucket list - it was about time she came. After all, she had a new credit card and identity. Someone else's money to spend and someone else's image to ruin: now _that _was a vacation.

Smiling to herself, the master cat thief waved down one of London's famous black cabs and told the cabbie to take her to a ritzy hotel she had found in a travel guide on the plane ride there. Since it wasn't her money she was spending she figured she might as well vacation in style.

The cabbie dropped her off and Selina paid him generously, getting out to take in the big and beautiful building before her, white and gleaming with carved Greek pillars looming over the fancily decorated front doors. Just the type of place for a kitty like her to settle down. Her smile growing by the minute, Selina dropped her bags off with the doorman and entered the hotel.

It was a bit like walking into a palace. A long red carpet was laid down on the polished marble floor, leading up to a huge wooden check-in desk that, from Selina's cat-burglar knowledge, was clearly an antique.

Sitting in a chair behind the desk was a small man in a neatly pressed suit with his hands clasped together on the tabletop. He surveyed Selina as she approached. "Name?" he asked.

"Rachel Tabby," Selina replied in a carefully guarded Italian accent. "I would like to see if I could have a room to stay in for the night, perhaps longer."

The man didn't bat an eyelash at her accent and began to type something on his computer. "A room for one?" he asked.

"Yes," Selina confirmed.

The man nodded and swiped her credit card before quickly scribbling down her fake name. He then called over two attendants dressed in crisp red suits to take her luggage and handed her a room key. "Here," he said as Selina took it. "Room 202. Enjoy your stay."

"Thank you," Selina thanked him, smiling at him kindly before proceeding to follow another red-suited attendant to the elevator, where the employee pressed the appropriate floor for her and escorted her to her room.

When they reached it, Selina handed him her key and he opened the door, stepping back to let her in. Flashing him a small smile, Selina did, taking in the interior as she entered. It was quite a room. A king-sized bed took up the middle of the room, along with a bedside table and a mahogany desk. A fridge, microwave, small kitchen and bathroom completed the space, like any good hotel.

But the real kicker was the balcony, looking out over the bustling British city. Where the wall to the left of the bed should have been was completely taken up by a spacious patio hanging over the London sky, complete with a lawn chair to sun in, if the day was right.

Selina smiled and raised her sunglasses to rest on her short black hair. She was liking this vacation more and more by the minute.

The men with her luggage arrived and quickly wheeled it all in. "Dinner is in the dining room at six, miss," the attendant who had escorted her told her politely, before nodding respectfully and leaving her on her own.

With a sigh, Selina collapsed on the bed and closed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips. Everything was going smoothly. For tonight, she'd enjoy her stay.

Tomorrow night, though, Catwoman would prowl the streets of London and this time…this time there would be no Batman to get in the way of her and her prize.

~O~

The next morning, Selina got out of bed and dressed for a big day of exploring. Last night she had looked through all the brochures and magazines the hotel had to offer and had thoroughly enjoyed her luxurious accommodations. The hotel's dinner had been superb and Selina had slept better than she had in a long time – considering she actually went to bed a normal hour, of course.

Today, though, today would be a day devoted to fun, Selina had decided. These days, it seems like she rarely left Gotham and she wanted to enjoy her vacation before she had to high-tail it out of here with the Die Katze in hand. It wouldn't be safe to stay in London more than a couple days after she stole it.

This thought in mind, Selina picked out a complimenting black mini dress to wear for the day and slipped it on; completing the look with her normal make-up and a gorgeous ruby cat necklace with a gold chain she'd knicked from a pawn shop a few weeks ago. Modeling for a second in her full-length mirror, Selina smiled and determined herself ready.

Time for her to do a bit of shopping.

By noon, Selina sat on a bench in the park, rocking a new pair of cheetah-patterned studded sunglasses, manicured cheetah-pattern nails to match and a light-blue sunhat. To tell the truth, she felt a little ritzy and she liked that. She really should take a vacation more often.

Not to mention London had _way _more interesting shops than Gotham. New places, new things for Catwoman to steal! Or buy with someone else's money, of course.

Smiling to herself, Selina checked out her new nails one more time before getting up and stretching and picking up her numerous shopping bags. She proceeded to simply walk down the London streets, no real destination in mind. She had run out of shops to go to from the list of possible places to stop that she had made last night and now was content in simply window shopping. It was quite enjoyable, to say the least.

As she walked, she noticed something odd and stopped for a moment, cocking her head.

A woman was walking towards her, looking preoccupied and uninterested in the stores she flew passed.

But that was not what was curious about her.

What was curious was the fact that the woman was wearing long robes of emerald green. They shimmered in the sunlight and reflected on the assortment of hairpieces adorning her hair – decorations unlike the cat burglar had ever seen.

Selina kept moving but slowed her pace to observe the woman, her curiosity overcoming her as she watched. She wouldn't consider herself and expert, but she was pretty sure that was not how British people normally dressed.

The woman seemed to not notice her interest and continued on her way, bustling by the shops before stopping quite suddenly in front of an empty space.

Selina blinked, surprised to find she hadn't actually noticed the space at all up until that point. She had walked past it blindly, her eyes wandering from the store to its left to the one on its right without seeing it.

How had she missed it?

Unable to come up with a reasonable explanation for her lapse in observation, she pushed the thought out of her mind as the strange woman looked at the empty lot, as if she was checking to make sure this was her destination. She waited for a moment, before walking straight into the empty air.

And disappearing.

Selina's mouth dropped slightly as she stared at the space in shock. What had just happened? It was if her eyes were trying to pull themselves away from the empty space and Selina had to force them to stay still, but there was no mistaking what she had seen.

The woman had disappeared into thin air.

Selina let out a quick breath before narrowing her eyes and stalking up to the empty lot, determined to investigate. But as she did, her feet seemed to take on a mind of their own and she found herself walking away from it instead.

She made a small sound of confusion and frustration that quickly dissipated as she moved away from the curious empty area and found the details of the encounter beginning to fade away. She struggled to hold on to them, but after a moment, the completely disappeared from her mind, leaving her wondering vaguely what she had been so worked up about.

Continuing her window shopping, Selina suddenly found herself sucked in to a mob of people trying to get a better look at something a little ways up the road. Interested to see what was causing all this commotion, the thief let the mob sweep her towards the center of the boardwalk. Carefully zigzagging and swerving through people like she was all too good at, Selina finally got close enough to see what was going on.

She found herself staring at an expensive looking black limo, pulled up on the corner of the street with a man just emerging from its depths, martini in hand. He wore a crisp, black suit and straight tie that accommodated his tall, muscular form.

It didn't take a genius to see that he was rich, and Selina was no stranger to picking out money boys. But she frowned in frustration as the man turned upon exiting his vehicle, successfully blocking his features from her view. Wanting to know who this big man was, Selina went up on her tip toes, attempting to see the man's face to see just who this celebrity was.

Suddenly, the man turned his head and Selina saw his face, clear as day.

She gasped, and her bags dropped with a thump to the pavement.

It was Bruce Wayne.

Selina gapped at the man for a moment, taking in what she was seeing. What was _he_ doing here? The playboy millionaire lived in Gotham City, and owned the very famous Wayne Industries. Selina hadn't ever spoken to him, although she had looted him a couple times. She had never had the luxury of keeping her Wayne prizes, though. Batman made sure of that.

Nevertheless, she was surprised to see him here. What was Mr. Big Bucks doing in London? And even stranger, why the same time as her? Was it just a coincidence, or had he learned that she had come here?

Selina couldn't fathom the connection, but she decided not to let it bother her. Grabbing her bag, Selina pushed Wayne out of her mind and left Mr. Money Bags to the paparazzi.

It took a bit to navigate her way out of the crowd, but after the mass of people thinned, Selina continued her shopping; glancing into each shop she passed. Nothing really jumped out of her, but after looking at a few stores, something caught her eye. In a small jewelry shop window a fuzzy, cheetah-patterned handbag hung on display, just waiting to be bought. Stalking up to it, Selina surveyed it.

"Me-_ow,_" she purred under my breath, entering the shop. She shot purposely to her prize and swept the room for anything else of interest before picking it up and running a hand down the soft pelt.

Behind her, the store bell rang and someone else entered the shop. Selina looked out of the corner of her eye and noted the man with a black jacket and a hood covering his face that entered. His coat made it hard for me to identify him, but Selina recognized his face in an instant.

Wayne.

The master thief narrowed her eyes but kept to her shopping, hoping he wouldn't notice her. She didn't want to interact with any Gothamites if she didn't have to.

But to her despair, the distinct sound of his footfalls heading her way reached her ears and before long Selina was well aware of the millionaire's presence beside her.

"Hello," Bruce greeted her politely, smiling kindly before looking down at the display of necklaces before them. "Mind if I take a look over here?"

"Of course," Selina responded, careful to keep her Italian accent in place. No point in not keeping up appearances. "Be my guest."

Bruce looked over her quickly, his brown eyes taking her features in. "You're Italian," he commented.

Selina smiled. "Why, yes, I am," she laughed. "And you're American."

He smiled. "Yes," he confirmed. "Are you visiting?"

Selina nodded. "Just a little break from my normal life," she sighed, not untruthfully either. She pretended to study him for a moment. "Wait a moment," she exclaimed, her expression turning to one of surprise. "I know you! You're Bruce Wayne!"

Wayne looked surprised for a moment, but then smiled. "What gave it away?" he laughed.

Selina flashed him a seductive grin. "Your handsome face, of course," she said, winking at him. "I saw you get out of that fancy limo of yours. You have quite the fan club."

Bruce laughed. "Well," he grinned. "I'm flattered. I was lucky to get out of that mob. Who knew I would be so popular outside of Gotham?"

"Who indeed," Selina agreed. "What brings you to London, Mr. Wayne?"

"Please," Bruce said formally. "Call me Bruce. And I'm just here on some…business. Nothing special."

He was being very vague and Selina felt it was probably not on accident, but she didn't push it.

There was an awkward silence.

"Um…" Bruce broke it awkwardly, glancing down at the handbag she was holding. "Were you going to buy anything?"

Startled by the question, Selina realized she hadn't bought the cheetah handbag yet.

"Yes!" she said quickly. "In fact, I was admiring this beautiful handbag." She smiled brilliantly, holding it up for Bruce to see before looking at the tag. She cringed at the price. It would be so much easier to steal it…but she wasn't using her money anyway and Wayne was watching her intently.

Keeping her smile big, Selina slipped out her credit card and went up to the cashier to purchase the bag. After it was hers, Selina slung it over her shoulder and made for the door.

Suddenly, Bruce's hand shot out and grabbed her arm, which was hovering just above the doorknob. Selina looked up at him, surprised. His eyes met hers and they stared at each other or a long moment.

For one horrible second, Selina thought she had been made.

But then the playboy smiled. "I can't let you leave without knowing your name," he said smoothly, eyes sparkling handsomely.

Relieved, Selina smiled sweetly again. "Of course," she laughed. "How rude of me. My name is Rachel. Rachel Tabby." She winked at the millionaire before swooping in and giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Maybe I will see you 'round, Mr. Way**ne,**" she whispered in his ear softly before shaking off his hand and leaving the shop.

Bruce Wayne watched her go; his charming smile leaving his face the moment Selina had left his presence.

"Maybe sooner than you think," he murmured.


	3. Out Cold

Soft sniffling filled the vacant room of staircases as the chilly castle air pierced the thin pajamas of the boy who cried.

Alone and stuck, the boy sat on the stairs as they moved around the room every now and then, his foot forlornly trapped in the trick step it had fallen into and tears rolling down his round cheeks.

With a jolting thunk, the staircase he was trapped on locked into another floor. Not that it mattered. The boy couldn't get off the stairs anyway.

A sudden noise from the opposite door snapped him out of his sniffling, however. With wide, scared but hopeful eyes the boy stared at the wooden door.

Slowly, it opened.

"Harry, I don't think this is a good – "

"Oh, buzz off, Hermione! If you don't want to do it, then fine, go back and snivel back in the common room but Harry and I are – "

"Shh, both of you! I hear something."

The whispering ceased as soft footsteps approached the staircase. The trapped boy looked around widely, but could see no one.

Suddenly, there was a small flash of fabric and three children appeared.

They looked at the boy in surprise in curiosity.

"Neville?" One asked, surprised.

Neville Longbottom sobbed in relief. "Harry," he breathed. "Oh, thank Merlin, I thought for sure I was going to be stuck here forever!"

"Hey, Neville, it's all right," Harry Potter said, attempting to calm his friend down. "Hold on, we'll get you out. Ron – "

The ginger boy to his right grunted and bent down to help.

The two boys each claimed one of Neville's arms and slowly lifted him out of the trick step, where Hermione then helped them bring him down the last couple steps to the landing. As if on cue, the wicked staircase split away the moment they touched down, shifting to another doorway to terror another helpless first year.

Neville wiped away his tears furiously, looking embarrassed but grateful. "T-t-thank you," he stuttered.

"Don't mention it," Ron muttered as the four of them made their way quickly and quietly down the hall. "Now, shush! We have to hurry if we aren't going to get cau – "

His words ended in a large _"ompf!" _as they rounded the corner and he ran straight into something solid.

He stumbled back quickly and Harry caught him on instinct, looking up in horror at the man Ron had just so ungracefully barreled into.

Long, majestic purple robes and a silvery white beard glinting in the moonlight greeted them, looking down on them with piercing blues eyes over half-mooned spectacles

Well, they were screwed.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Hermione squeaked, looking doubly horrified at getting caught as the others. "Omigosh, we're so sorry! We were just…I mean to say we were…"

She fumbled over her words pathetically. The other three simply gaped in horror.

The Headmaster surveyed the three of them with a grim expression. "You four should not be out at this hour," he stated simply, no anger in his voice. His eyes became somewhat unfocused, as if considering something else entirely. "But I have no time and I cannot leave you alone."

He seemed to be talking to himself and that was enough to shut Hermione up. She seemed to be coming up with something to say, however, when the ancient wizard's eyes suddenly snapped back into focus.

His face became grim and he held out his arm purposely. "Grab hold," he ordered.

The four first years stared at him in shock for a moment, before scrambling to obey the Headmasters orders.

"Do not let go at all costs," the wizard ordered solemnly.

Then, before Hermione could utter a word, they disappeared with a large _crack._

~O~

Hidden amongst the shadows below London's musty night sky, the Batman stood atop of a building directly across the road from the Victoria and Albert museum, his cape blowing slightly in the evening breeze. The museum had closed for the night almost two hours ago, and Batman had been watching it silently since the moment its doors had closed. The moon glowed silently overhead.

Switching on the night vision mode on his cowl, Batman watched the museum intently, knowing Catwoman would be striking soon. The woman might be elusive but she was also predictable and Bruce knew she would not wait long to capture her prize.

A small beep in his ear interrupted the detective's vigil and the Dark Knight put a finger to his cowl lightly.

"Batman," he answered it gruffly.

"Master Bruce," Alfred's familiar voice came through the communicator. "I take it that your journey was successful?"

"I made it to London fine, Alfred," Bruce replied swiftly. "I'm at the museum. Selina hasn't shown herself yet."

"I take it you are using the downtime to brood, as usual," the butler inferred correctly.

Batman didn't answer and his old friend chuckled.

"As I thought," he continued. "I will leave you to it. I simply found it worthy to notify you that Miss Gordon has successfully been able to track down Miss Kyle's stolen credit card. She is currently operating by the name of Rachel Tabby."

"I know," Bruce said shortly. "I ran in to her earlier."

"I see," Alfred answered smoothly. "On purpose?"

"I spotted her in the crowd upon arrival," Bruce said simply. "I followed her on a hunch, nothing more."

"And what would that hunch be?"

Bruce smirked. "From what I can tell, if things go well, I should be back in Gotham by tomorrow morning. If things go south, I might be a while."

The butler sighed. "Let us hope it is the former," he said wistfully. "I so dislike when you are away for such long stretches of time. There is no one around to sample my cooking, although you rarely do anyway."

Batman smiled. "Sorry, Alfred," he apologized. "Tim might just have to suffer eating your award-winning culinary for a few days."

"I do hope that was a sarcastic tone of voice, Master Bruce," Alfred replied dryly, but Batman hardly heard him as a moving shape suddenly appeared in the field of his night vision.

"Just a moment, Alfred," Bruce interrupted his friend, putting two fingers to the side of his cowl and zooming in on the museum's ornate roof.

As he had expected, the shape, upon inspection, was actually the silhouette of a woman, dressed from head to toe in sleek black leather. A cat o' nine tails was wrapped like a belt around her waist and two signature cat ears stuck out of her mask. The green tint of her goggles glinted in the thin light of the moon.

Catwoman.

"It's her," Bruce told Alfred shortly.

"I'll let you go, then," the butler replied understandingly. "Tread carefully."

"Always," Bruce responded, before cutting the communication and pulling out his grapple gun. Aiming it deftly, he shot it to the opposite roof and swung the length between them.

Landing with a thud, Batman quickly got to his feet and observed the roof from the new vantage point. As he suspected, there were numerous skylights dotting the vast span of rooftop, leaving many opportunities for Selina to slip in.

He spotted her entrance point with ease, however. A peculiar, perfectly circular hole had been cut in the middle of one of the glass panes, the perfect size for an averaged sized person to slip through. Moving as soundlessly as the wind, Batman followed her path and dropped down through the man-made hole, landing on the floor of the museum with a barely audible thump. His aerodynamic cape fluttered around him dramatically a moment later.

A grim frown etched in the features distinguishable of his face, the Dark Knight walked slowly deeper into the exhibit he had landed in, looking for signs of Catwoman among the plastic models and ancient pottery. He noted with distaste the sign that labeled it as the new Art of the Egyptians exhibit.

The Die Katze could not be far.

Continuing on his way, the detective kept to the shadows and swept every corner of the dark, abandoned exhibit, his night vision tearing apart each shadowy crevice for his convenience. He found no traces of Selina's presence but didn't expect any. The cat burglar was nothing if not professional.

Before long, the crowded halls of ancient displays and history lessons began to thin, leading him to a small clearing in the center of the room, where a large banner hung from the ceiling and declared the museum's new crowned jewel.

And below it, sitting on a beautifully carved marble pedestal, sat the Die Katze.

It was a magnificent sight, expertly crafted with delicate, ancient hands and glowing in the light that glinted off its red ruby eyes. It would be a wonderful prize for any cat burglar.

Especially the cat burglar that was currently standing in front of it, her greedy claws wrapping carefully around the statues slender neck.

"Catwoman," Batman growled lowly, moving his feet ever so slightly into a fighting stance underneath the curtain of his cape.

The master thief whipped around at his voice, her beautiful eyes widening under her emerald goggles.

She quickly hid her surprise though and smiled slyly, taking the Die Katze into her hands and turning to face the Dark Knight squarely.

"Batman," she said evenly, flashing the detective a sneaky smile. "Long time no see, handsome."

"Put the statue back," Batman demanded, his white eyes narrowing in warning.

"What, this?" Selina asked sarcastically, dangling the expensive statue tantalizingly. "Sorry, no can do. It doesn't belong here anymore. It has a new owner now."

She grinned and stroked its elegant feline head. Her eyes flashed. "And you can't have it," she hissed, before lunging at him.

Batman dived out of her path with a swish of his cape and swiveled around in the same movement, the black shape of his Batarang whizzing toward the stolen statue.

Predicting the move, the feline fatale shot out her other arm and caught the projectile before it hit her prize. Before Batman could recover, she whipped his weapon right back at him, straight at his head.

On instinct, Bruce ducked and the Batarang clanged loudly against the far wall. Before his legs fully bent, he pushed himself into a wailing air-born kick, aiming for Catwoman's chin. The feline reacted, but not quickly enough. The edge of his steel-tipped black boot clipped her in the jaw and set her sprawling.

She hit the ground with an "_oof!" _and the statue flew out of her hands, skidding across the marble floor.

Batman dived for it, but as his hand outstretched to grab the priceless artifact by its long neck, a flash of movement came between them and whipped the cat out of his grasp – literally. Bruce recovered in a push up position and hopped to his feet, cape swishing to see Selina getting to her feet as well, rubbing her jaw. She smiled a sort of half-grimace and delicately detangled her prize from the end of her cat o'nine tails.

"So close," she mocked sympathetically, green eyes glittering.

Anger flared in Bruce's chest and he immediately began to channel it in the way he had mastered so long ago. His muscles became taught and his stance loose but ready. His eyes flickered to the skylight above him, where Selina had seemingly already cut a hole for her escape. Her trajectory was easily mapped out, and Batman could play her escape route through in his mind in a split second. Her next move was imminent.

"Selina," he said slowly, softly. An edge to his tone even he didn't expect came across. "Put the statue down. I don't want to hurt you."

Selina twirled the statue lightly, as if considering. Her feet stayed planted. "What makes you think you _can _hurt me, big boy?" she asked, her tone laced with a deadly edge that didn't match his.

Batman didn't answer, but he didn't need to. The two had an unspoken understanding, both of them knowing exactly where the other stood. Be it as it may, their complicated relationship went a bit further than simple vigilante and cat burglar.

But Bruce could still not let her get away clean.

They held each other's gaze for a long moment.

Then Selina tensed.

Batman didn't waste a second. He launched himself at her, diving slightly to her right so as to snatch the statue from her grasp while smashing her against the wall cleanly.

Except Selina had been a bit more clever than Bruce had given her credit for.

She couldn't dodge his attack. Batman had made sure of that. But he _was_ close enough for her to hit him.

Or inject him with something in his one place of exposure.

The little gap of his neck exposed between his cowl and his cape.

The next thing the Dark Knight knew, he had went from midair to rolling across the marble floor with a stinging pain in his neck, his muscles slowly beginning to cramp and stop working all together. He rolled to a stop, but was unable to stand or even flex, his eyes slowly becoming heavy and fluttering under his cowl.

His vision blurred, but he managed to make out a blurry black shape come into his field of vision from above.

"Sorry, handsome," Selina sighed, actually sounding somewhat regretful. "But as much as I love a fair fight, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do."

The soft touch of a woman's lips on his travelled fuzzily through his nervous system.

Then Selina was gone and everything went black.

~O~

The Victoria and Albert museum quickly returned to silence. The air settled, the shadows became still and the dark silhouette of the Dark Knight lay motionless in the center of the exhibit.

Everything was quiet.

That was, until a large _crack _shattered it suddenly.

A large thump followed, as if several bodies had fallen on top of each other from far above. The small groans and complaints that followed reinforced the sound.

It seemed the museum was not through with visitors for the night.

"_Uff. _Professor Dumbledore, we're so sorry, we didn't mean to make you – "

"Hush, child. We have bigger things to worry about."

"I know but – "

"Merlin's Beard."

"Professor, where are we? I thought you couldn't Apparate inside of Hog – "

"Hush!"

All the voices fell silent as the dominant, older voice spoke.

"I have bent the rules a bit. This is a special mission that requires my immediate attention. All four of you listen very carefully. Stay behind me and do not do anything unless I tell you to. Keep your wands at the ready. This is not a confrontation meant for first years."

The voices lapsed into silence and soft, shuffling footsteps approached the Die Katze exhibit, their shadows bouncing off the walls.

Batman didn't stir, but the sight of him elicited a collective gasp from the group of newcomers as the huddle breached the entrance.

The stopped a few feet from his body, the tall, elegant form of an old man with a long silver beard and purple robes shielding the tiny forms of four children – three boys and one girl, no older than eleven – behind him. They stared at Batman in curiosity and wariness.

"Who is he?" Harry asked.

"I do not know," Dumbledore murmured, more to himself than to Harry. His eyes scanned the Caped Crusader's fallen form for a moment before drifting to the Die Katze's empty pedestal.

"Although I fear I have arrived too late," he sighed, his careworn face seeming to sag a bit with this realization.

Hermione followed his gaze, noting the empty column. "An artifact?" she questioned.

"Yes," Dumbledore confirmed solemnly. "One that should not be in the wrong hands. It seems that I was too slow to prevent its burglary." He twirled his wand in an unhappy sort of way before storing it back in his cloak.

Ron frowned in confusion. "Why is some dumb Muggle artifact so important?" he asked.

"Not all artifacts are without magic, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore explained vaguely. "But that is of little importance. We must leave."

He turned, his robes swishing, but Harry was still eyeing the unconscious man in black.

"Wait," he said, brow furrowing. "What about him? What if he knows something about who stole…whatever was stolen."

Dumbledore turned back again, a small, sad smile on his lips. His blue eyes ran once more over Batman's paralyzed body. "I believe some things are better left alone, Harry," he said softly. "Come."

He turned again and Hermione, Ron and a somewhat shaky Neville followed him back the way they came.

Harry, however, hesitated, looking back at the fallen figure. His curiosity was overwhelming him and he unconsciously found himself creeping closer, wand raised.

He crouched next the man's masked face, taking in the dark cloak, layered armor, complicated belt and pointed-ear cowl. The more he observed him the more confused he became. Who was this man? Who would come to a museum at this time of night dressed…dressed…well, like a bat?

Before he could ponder the thought any longer, the man began to stir, his leg twitching slightly and his head turning slowly and sluggishly.

Harry jumped backward in horror, heart pounding in his chest and his eyes wide. He scrambled to his feet, wand raised and brain muddled as the mysterious man began to gain consciousness.

His hand shook and he said the first spell that came to his mind.

_"Wigardium Leviosa!"_

Batman's eyes flickered open just long enough to have a large, marble pedestal hover above his head for a split second before falling down fast and hard on top of him.

The breath left him, he felt his ribs crack and then his vision went black once again.


	4. A Bat Among Wizards

"Who is he, Headmaster?"

"I am unsure of both his identity and his involvement, I'm afraid."

"Better safe than sorry, I say."

"Peculiar dress sense. Even for a Muggle._"_

"A bat. He's dressed like a bat. Why?"

"I have no idea."

"Do you believe he'll be a threat?"

"Not tied up like that, without a wand."

"He doesn't _have _a wand, you dork! He's a Muggle! That's why he needs that belt thingy-magig!"

"Oh, I'm _so _sorry I'm not such a _know-it-all _as you are, Hermione. I'm not worthy of your braininess."

"Why you – "

"Hush. He wakes."

Batman groaned, his head spinning like he had taken a particularly nasty fall off a building the night before. He'd had it happen, so he wasn't unaccustomed to the sensation, but it wasn't particularly pleasant.

He kept his eyes shut for a moment, giving his head a small amount of time to clear.

He tried to remember what had happened, but all that came to mind was the museum, Catwoman injecting him with something, and a brief glance of a marble pedestal above his head. That, and pain. As he'd come around, he'd heard voices. Where was he? He could feel his cowl over his face, so he must still be in uniform, but he couldn't move.

Not being able to move upon awakening was another thing Bruce had experienced before but did not enjoy.

Fighting the sickening feeling rising in his throat, he opened his eyes.

Sunlight met his eyes through his cowl's white lenses and revealed a spacious tower ceiling to him, ornate and old-fashioned. He blinked once and flexed his muscles, confirming that he was indeed tied down, apparently to a bed.

The bed may or may not be new.

Flexing also revealed to him a searing pain in his midsection. Broken ribs. Several. He couldn't tell how many exactly but at least three. He wasn't entirely sure how he'd broken them, but something told him it had something to do with the quick flash of a pedestal above his head he had remembered from the night before.

His confines included a rope around his neck, which was protected by his armor, so unfortunately Bruce was unable to lift his head to thoroughly scan his situation. It was a downfall for sure, but little bits of movement in his peripheral vision and subtle noise confirmed that he was not alone. His eyes narrowed.

"Three questions," he said bluntly, keeping his voice low and gravely.

A few sharp intakes in breath responded to his proclamation, but no immediate response.

After a moment, a soft male voice – kind and old – spoke. "Go ahead."

"Where am I," Batman asked flatly, demanding a bit more than questioning. "Who are you and why am I here."

Another small silence.

A different voice spoke this time. Also male, but lower and with more drawl. "We do not have to answer your questions."

Batman narrowed his eyes more, disliking this second man's choice of words. "I don't have to answer yours either," he shot back evenly.

The silence lasted longer this time and Bruce got the feeling they were having a silent discussion of what to say next.

Finally, a small sigh broke the standoff.

"Professor Snape, if you would allow him to sit, please." A female voice commanded.

A small grumble of discontent met this request, but nevertheless, Bruce heard a small swish and the confines of his torso vanished, allowing limited movement of his upper body - arms and hands excluded. They, on the contrary, became tighter.

Wary of his situation, Bruce slowly sat up.

He quickly took inventory with a split-second scan of the room.

Hospital ward. Several beds, spacious, large windows, tower room. Easy escape routes, twelve total. Eight people. Four adults, four children. All in long robes. Women in green, older, stern. Woman in white, careworn, nurse. Man in all black, hooked nose, greasy hair. Old man in purple, silver beard, spectacles. Young boy, red hair, freckles. Young boy, round glasses, green eyes, peculiar scar. Young boy, dark hair, timid. Young girl, mossy hair. Bound to bed, utility belt still on, broken ribs, headache, muscle fatigue, unhealed leg wound, limited torso movement. Magic.

The last bit of data hung with him for a moment.

Magic.

No one had approached him and removed the ropes binding his chest. There had been a small sound and then they'd disintegrated. The man in black held a long, ornate stick in his hand, raised and pointed toward him. A wand.

Magic.

Damn.

Bruce _hated _magic.

The small group watched him quietly with keen interest and obvious wariness, circled around his confines at a respectable distance. The man in black was the only one pointing anything remotely threatening at him, but he noted that each and every member of the group held long, decorated sticks in their hands as well.

Great. Eight people with mystical powers.

He'd take ten Jokers over any _one _sorcerer any day. At least the Joker had to obey the laws of universe.

Magic was as unpredictable as it was dangerous.

The woman in green cleared her throat. "Three questions, you said," she said swiftly, not wasting a word. Bruce's initial inference of her being no-nonsense appeared correct. "I believe we can answer them, but only if you answer ours."

Batman grunted. "Then what?" he asked steely.

"Then we'll see," the woman answered briskly. She peered at him sternly under the brim of her large, pointed witch hat, as if daring him to oppose her.

Bruce did not like this situation, but soon enough he wouldn't have to. The ropes that bound him were unnaturally tight, but not apparently mystical. A quick swipe of a Batarang would cut him free, and his captors had neglected to take off his utility belt. He would simply have to answer their questions long enough to keep them occupied until he reached his belt.

He nodded shortly to the stern witch. She nodded back respectfully, acknowledging his acceptance.

"First question," she said, lacing her fingers together behind her back and pacing back and forth. "Who are you?"

"I'm Batman," Bruce answered slowly, wiggling his wrists lightly to allow himself more mobility. His shoulders stayed perfectly still.

The green witch stopped abruptly. She looked down at him with both eyebrows raised.

_"Batman?" _she repeated.

Bruce didn't answer her, staring back at her with a defiance that answered the question for her.

She frowned. "The question was meant for a real name."

"Batman is all the name you need to know," Bruce said shortly, his voice still full-on Batman. As long as he was still the captive of these sorcerers he was not about to let his guard down, even though they didn't seem horribly bent on killing him. That bit was actually somewhat refreshing.

The witch did not seem satisfied with this answer, but she seemed to sense that she would get no more from him willingly. "Very well," she lamented, restarting her pacing. "Next question. What is the purpose of your…outfit and the use of such a mask?"

Bruce hesitated for a moment, carefully thinking about how to word his answer. His hands continued to loosen the rope and snake down to the back left pouch of his belt as he thought.

"I live two lives," he answered finally. "One by day, one by night. My identity by day cannot function the way I need it to at night. So I created another identity. One that hides my true name and face."

"Batman," the woman guessed. "You created the name Batman, and a costume to go with it."

It was more of a mix of armor, stealth technology and hiking gear really, but Bruce decided details would be lost on this woman and highly irrelevant to the situation. His forefinger brushed against his belt as he nodded.

The green witch took this in for a moment, glancing at her colleagues. The four adults shared a look, before she turned back to him.

She seemed to hesitate, as if ponder how to word her next inquiry.

"Why were you at the museum last night?" she asked carefully.

"I was stopping a burglar," Batman answered truthfully.

The witch raised a delicate eyebrow. "Who?"

"A woman," he said simply, seeing no need to specifically elaborate. He managed to open his belt pouch. "A notorious cat burglar. I followed her here."

"To thwart her?" the woman inferred.

Bruce nodded in confirmation, his fingers slowly pulling his Batarang out of the pouch.

The witch took this in slowly, as if reconsidering her opinion of him. "I suppose that is the sort of thing you do, then," she hypothesized. "In your…night life. Fight crime?"

Batman nodded again, curling the Batarang into his palm and beginning to cut his bindings away.

The sorceress frowned, thinking. "Correct me if I'm wrong," she ventured. "The cat burglar came here to steal the statue. You came to stop her. You failed and she got away, leaving you behind?"

Bruce nodded a third time, feeling the ropes around his wrists beginning to loosen with each cut.

Thankfully, the witch had seemed to come to a conclusion. She turned to the others. "I believe his story," she said truthfully. "I do not believe he was involved."

"That does not mean we should trust him," the man in black growled, not unlike Bruce did on occasion when he was in disagreement.

"No, Severus," the old man agreed, sighing. "But that does not mean we should not trust him either."

"What would you have us do, then, Headmaster?" the woman in white asked, toying with her skirt.

The old man looked thoughtful. "I do not know," he admitted. "This is an unusual situation indeed."

"Pwf," the man in black snorted, his hooked nose wrinkling in distaste. "What we should _do_ is take off his silly little mask. No man should shroud his identity from us within these walls."

"He has done no wrong," the green witch argued. "I see no reason to take his privacy from him."

"He has not _proven _he has done no wrong. There are no witnesses. We take his word."

"He did not lie."

"Without the serum, how can you be sure? I said we should use it, but you – "

"Something that potent is hardly necessary if – "

"I believe it is time to for you to answer _my _questions now."

The deep, gravelly voice came from the far end of the tower, and the arguing group of witches and wizards quickly swiveled around.

Batman sat perched on the headrest of the far hospital bed, his dark cape falling around him and billowing slightly. His white eyes were narrowed to slits.

All eight enchanters gaped at him and the now-empty hospital bed beside them, strewn with empty ropes. Somehow, the man had cut himself free and slipped to the other side of the room so soundlessly none of them had noticed.

The ginger boy's eyes were about to pop out of his head. "Whoa," he murmured. "Did he…did he Apparate?"

"I…I don't think he did any magic at all," the timid one squeaked, clearly frightened. The other two simply gaped.

The four adults all swiftly whipped out their wands, pointing them in turn at their escaped captive.

"Stay where you are, please," the green witch ordered.

"Answer my questions," Batman growled back. "Your magic doesn't scare me."

The four of them glanced at one another in question for a second, before the old man nodded, slowly lowering his wand.

"Very well," he said diplomatically.

"Headmaster, I don't – " the man in black began.

"Hush, Severus," the old man quieted him. "I do not believe he is a stranger to magic." He clasped his hands, addressing Batman. "My name is Albus Dumbledore. I am the Headmaster here."

"Where?" Bruce asked stonily.

"Hogwarts," Dumbledore answered swiftly. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

_School. _The word sent small chills down Bruce's spine. He didn't like the sound of the words _school _and _witchcraft _in the same title.

When Batman didn't respond, the Headmaster continued.

"These men and women are members of my staff," he said, gesturing to the three adults, "and these are four of my pupils." He gestured to the small group of children, all eyeing Batman with curiosity behind their teachers robes.

"Where?" Bruce said again.

"As I said, Hogwar—"

"No, _where," _Batman spat. "Where is this school?"

Dumbledore smiled wryly. "I'm afraid I cannot tell you that," he said softly, lacing his fingers. "The location of the school must be kept a secret to the outside world, the Muggle community especially."

They kept using that word. Bruce had a feeling it pertained to people like him. Non-magical.

Bruce's white lenses narrowed further. He needed to know where he was. How far away from London was he? It was impossible to tell. "I'm asking one more time. _Where is the school?"_

Dumbledore shook his head. "I cannot tell you."

_Fwish!_

Something black and moving fast emerged from the depths of Batman's cape, twisting towards Dumbledore. The wizards around him jumped back in surprise, but the man didn't bat an eyelash, raising his wand with a flick of his wrist.

The Batarang stopped inches from his oblong nose, floating ominously in the air.

He observed it with interest. "Curious," he commented, twirling his wand in a circular motion. The Batarang swung in a lazy spin. "Quite the weapon, Mr. Batman."

"You haven't seen the best part yet," Batman said.

Dumbledore just had time to blink before it exploded.

The witch in white screamed and the woman in green screeched, "Albus!" The man in black lurched forward, but it was hardly necessary.

The light of the flash faded, leaving the Headmaster standing where he had been, beard blazing.

He chuckled, admiring his flaming beard for a moment before extinguishing the flame with a flick of his wand.

"Inventive," he complimented Bruce, eyes crinkling at the edges as he clasped his hands behind his back. "You're quite the resourceful man."

Bruce did not answer. In the commotion, he had effortlessly moved from his perch on the bed pane to the floor, the bat symbol on his chest poking through the break in his cape.

Snape was eyeing him warily, his wand half-raised. "Headmaster, he attacked you," he hissed.

"Yes," Dumbledore agreed. "He did. Quiet well, too."

"He should be detained," Snape spat, flicking his wand at Bruce. Dark cords sprang from its tip, snaking their way through the air towards him.

In one swift movement, Batman dived out of their path and threw another Batarang, straight at Snape. Surprised, Severus stumbled back from the projectile, the aim of his ropes lost. They fell to the ground, harmless, and the Potions Master found himself unwillingly pinned to the wall by his sleeve.

Batman stood unfazed a few feet from his previous position, face stony.

"Last question," he said. "Why am I here."

Dumbledore smiled at him kindly as Snape angrily wrenched his sleeve free. "I think that's allowed," he agreed. "We moved you here under your possible involvement in the abduction of the statue known as the Die Katze, and as compensation for your broken bones when Harry here dropped that pedestal on you."

He looked at one of the young boys at this, the one with the glasses. He smiled apologetically. "Sorry," he said.

"Madam Promfery says you have several broken ribs, and she would be happy to fix those up for you," Dumbledore continued smoothly.

"I'll pass," Batman growled. "I can take care of my own injuries when I get back to my plane."

Dumbledore shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry," he said solemnly. "I'm afraid I cannot let you leave."

Bruce's eyes narrowed to slits. "What?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "The issue of the Die Katze is more dire and involved than you can possible know. I'm afraid I cannot let you leave while it is still at large, and with your memories of this place still intact. You will have to stay here until the statue has been recovered and we can deal with your predicament."

Batman's hands curled into fists. "I'm not staying here."

"I'm afraid you are," McGonagall cut in smoothly. "You cannot leave Hogwarts without our permission. The school is protected by numerous enchantments designed to keep both Muggles – and unwanted wizards – out. You can only leave if the Headmaster chooses to lift the enchantments for you."

"And I'm afraid I cannot do so until the Die Katze is no longer a threat to my establishment," Dumbledore finished for her. "I am truly sorry, but for now, you will have to stay here."

Bruce felt his blood run cold. They weren't lying. He had no way of leaving without magical assistance.

Damn.

When Batman did not speak up, Dumbledore turned to Madam Promfery. "Can you?" he asked, gesturing in the Dark Knight's direction.

The nurse smiled and waved her wand in Bruce's direction. Before he could protest, he had the wind knocked out of him as his broken ribs were suddenly – and painfully - magically fixed.

"Good to go," she said satisfactorily, stowing her wand away.

Dumbledore turned to Snape. "He will stay with you for now," he decided. "I trust you to keep an eye on him."

"Headmaster – " Snape began to protest, but the old wizard cut him off.

"Severus, please," he stressed, blue eyes conveying a silent message.

The Potions Master pursed his lips in displeasure, but nodded. "I will prepare a room for him," he announced, striding out of the Hospital Wing with a dramatic flick of his robes. The door swung shut with a slam behind him.

Dumbledore smiled lightly. "He does that," he said nonchalantly. "Harry!"

The boy with the glasses perked up. "Yeah?"

"Would you be so kind to escort Mr. Batman here to Professor Snape's chambers?"

Harry nodded. "Sure."

"Wonderful," the wizard smiled. "Ron, Hermione, Neville – head back up to Gryffindor Tower, please. It is late and we shall discuss your penance for being out after curfew at another time."

There was a chorus of "Yes, sirs" and the three other students quickly left.

Harry made his way toward the door, looking back at Batman. It was obvious he expected him to follow.

Gotham's guardian stayed in place for a moment, weighing his options. He was stuck in a wizard school, trapped inside by enchantments he could not break. He was powerless and he hated it, but there wasn't much to be done.

Grudgingly, he moved to follow the boy.

As he passed Dumbledore, he gave the man a menacing look. "How long do you plan on keeping me here?" he growled in undertone.

"However long is necessary," the Headmaster replied, all too cheerfully. "Now on you go."

Batman held his gaze for a long moment, as if sizing him up, before passing him on by with a swish of his cape. He followed the wizard boy out the door and into the hall, hands in fists underneath his cape.

It was going to be a curious stay.


	5. Snape Gets Owned By A Muggle

Harry and Batman walked through the halls of Hogwarts in silence. They met no one, but Batman still kept a sharp eye for signs of life. He was in unfamiliar territory and needed to stay alert. His eyes flickered back and forth every time they turned a corner, taking in the interior and memorizing every turn they'd taken since leaving the Hospital Wing. Right, left, left, right…

Harry had still not said a word, the ends of his black robes just brushing the stone floor of the castle as they walked. His mouth stayed shut, but his green eyes flickered sideways to stare when he thought Bruce wasn't looking. Curiosity sparkled in them behind his glasses.

After about three minutes of these frequent glances, Batman was starting to get annoyed.

"If you want to ask me something, just ask," he said expressionlessly, not looking at Harry.

Harry grinned, oblivious to Bruce's cold tone. He paused for a moment, as if not knowing how to approach.

"Why do you dress like that?" he asked finally. Then, under Batman's gaze, he hastily reworded his question. "I mean, why a bat?"

Batman hesitated. It took him a moment to reply.

"When I first decided to fight crime, I needed a new identity. I needed a name that would instill fear into the hearts of my enemies. So I created one," he answered flatly, keeping his eyes ahead.

"Why did you decide to fight crime?" Harry asked.

Silence.

The boy quickly came to realize that that question was off limits. "_Does _your identity put fear in the hearts of your enemies?" he asked instead.

"Yes," Bruce said simply.

Another long silence followed. Batman vaguely hoped they were almost there. He wasn't much for making conversation. Maybe the short Q and A had been enough, and the boy would shut up now.

No such luck. Harry cleared his throat, breaking the quiet. "I've heard about you, you know," he said quietly. "Only a little, but I knew about you, and a few other heroes from America. My cousin, Dudley, keeps up with all the news on superheroes on the Internet. He likes Superman."

He looked at Batman expectantly, but when the Dark Knight didn't respond, he continued. "I thought it was cool that you were the only hero without any superpowers. It's…it sounds hard." He fell back into silence, looking kind of embarrassed.

Silence lapsed again. This time, Batman chose to break it. "I didn't know wizards knew about people like me."

Harry looked surprised for a second, before grinning. "Oh, they don't," he said. "But I grew up with Muggles, so I know more about that stuff than people who grew up in all-wizard families."

Batman waited, but Harry didn't say more. "I'm assuming 'Muggles' refers to non-magical people," he inferred.

"Oh," Harry said. "Yeah. Sorry. I forgot you don't know." He paused. "It's not a bad thing, you know," he added slowly. "Being a Muggle. Some people here think it is, but I don't."

Batman grunted. "Why did you grow up with Muggles?"

Harry hesitated and Bruce saw pain flash across his face for a moment. "It's a long story."

"Tell me," Bruce said shortly. It was unsure why he had suddenly taken an interest in the boy's childhood, but something compelled him to ask.

Harry took a big breath. "I live with my Aunt and Uncle," he exhaled. "They don't really…like magic, so they weren't too happy when I got invited to Hogwarts."

He didn't elaborate more. "What about your parents?" Batman asked.

Silence. A vacant look came into Harry's eyes.

"They're dead," he murmured, barely above a whisper.

Batman stopped walking, looking Harry straight on for the first time since they had left the Hospital Wing. "How did they die?"

Harry stared off into the distance, looking kind of sad. "I…didn't really find out the truth until recently," he admitted. "The Dursley's, my Aunt and Uncle, told me they died in a car crash because they wanted to squash all the magic out of me. They didn't want me to know I came from a family of wizards. But when I found out what I was…well, I found out they were murdered."

He absentmindedly brushed his hand across his forehead, and Batman once again saw the peculiar lightning bolt-shaped scar.

Bruce stared at it. He wasn't sure if he wanted to ask, but he did anyway. "Is that when you got that?"

Harry nodded solemnly, running a finger across the mark. "I don't remember it," he whispered. "I was one. I guess…he came to my house. Voldemort. The most feared Dark Wizard of all time."

Batman's eyes narrowed. He didn't like the sound of that.

"Voldemort wanted me," Harry breathed. "He killed my parents to get to me, but he couldn't kill me. I don't know why. No one knows why, but when he tried, his curse backfired on himself and I survived. The only mark it left was this." He tapped the scar.

"So now, my scar and I are famous," he finished, hand dropping listlessly to his side. "Famous for something I don't even remember. _Famous _for something I did nothing to deserve." He looked down. "Ron's jealous of all my fame, but really, I would hand it all over to him in a second. I'd much rather _earn _my respect."

He was silent for a moment, then added, "And I would much rather have my parents alive than have people gawk at me all the time."

An awkward silence fell upon the pair slowly, like a blanket.

Batman kept his face passive, but inside, he felt his blood begin to boil as a night not unlike Harry's surfaced in his mind. A young boy, his parents murdered, the lone survivor nursing a scar that will stay with him throughout his life.

He felt compelled to tell Harry, share his own story. Show him how he was not alone.

But he didn't.

"Hey Scarhead!" a voice sneered out of nowhere. "Who's your new friend?"

Harry jumped in surprise, slow to react, but Batman quickly whirled around, a Batarang already ready in hand.

Behind them, students were filing out of two big double doors into the hall. The once-dark hallway had magically become lit by fiery torches, and Batman found himself looking at a pale blond boy in black and green robes, staring at him with calculated curiosity.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry growled, clearly familiar with the boy.

Malfoy smirked. "I just wanted to know who the new guy is," he said innocently, taking in Batman's appearance critically. His eyes fell on his utility belt. "What's in there?" he asked, pointing to it. "Snacks?"

Batman narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. More students were gathering to see what the commotion was all about, and they all stared at Batman with wide eyes. Soon, fierce whispering broke out.

"Who's that?"

"Is he a wizard?"

"Why's he dressed like a bat?"

The murmurs grew until there was a small din. The hall became clotted with students, blocking their exit and surrounding them.

Bruce's hands curled around his Batarangs. He didn't like this. At all.

"So. Who are you, then?" Malfoy asked boldly, cocking his head in interest. "A squib or something? Come to help Filch?"

Batman had no idea what a squib was, but he assumed it was offensive. "Shove off, Malfoy." Harry said.

"Why don't you _make _me?" Malfoy challenged. The two burley students beside him laughed.

Harry's eyes blazed. Before Batman could stop him, he'd whipped out his wand.

"I said, shove _off, _Malfoy," Harry repeated, twisting his wand so that it was aimed squarely between Draco's eyes.

Malfoy just laughed, twirling his own wand. "Expel-" he began, but before he could finish, something black zoomed between him and Harry, knocking both of their wands out of their hands. Their wands fell to the ground with a resounding clatter.

Harry turned to see a bat-shaped boomerang imbedded in the wood holder of the nearest torch.

"That's enough." Batman growled.

Malfoy looked stricken, staring at the Batarang with wide eyes for a moment before becoming incredulous.

"What kind of lame magic was _that?" _he sneered, analyzing the weapon.

"It isn't," Bruce hissed.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, looking back at him. "Not magic?" he repeated, and the crowd went quiet. "So you _are _a Muggle, aren't you?"

There was a stunned silence for a long, tense moment.

Then Malfoy exploded into laughter. His cronies and a small amount of the crowd joined in.

"You…you can't…you can't do magic!" Malfoy wheezed, breathless from laughing.

Batman narrowed his eyes. "I can do plenty," he snarled.

He swished his cape and suddenly, he was gone, all the torches in the hall flickering out at once. The smoke trailed in wisps above the students' heads.

Malfoy looked around wildly, scooping up his fallen wand and gripping it solidly. "Where did he…?" he began, but before he could finish, a large dark shape erupted from above.

Draco screamed and the crowd of students shrieked with him as the Slytherin found himself wrapped in utter darkness. Out of nowhere, Batman's face loomed inches from his.

"I would watch where you _tread _if I were you," he hissed. Malfoy just had enough time to whimper before there was a swish of fabric and Batman was gone.

When the light returned, Harry and Batman were nowhere to be seen, and Malfoy was sprawled on the floor, face white as a sheet. His hands shook as he slowly got to his feet, staring at the relit torches in horror, before taking off in a cold sprint down the hall.

A few hallways away, Harry was laughing.

"That was brilliant!" he grinned, the wand in his hand producing a few wayward red sparks from his excitement.

Batman careened to avoid them as he stowed his grapple gun back in his belt. He grunted in acknowledgement.

Harry's eyes sparkled as he put his wand away. "How'd you do that?"

"Smoke pelts," Batman answered simply. "You don't have to use magic to scare someone."

Harry laughed again. "Malfoy looked like he was going to wet his pants!" he chuckled, smirking. "That was the best moment of my life! Oh, I wish Ron could have seen that!"

He went on and on, but Batman was no longer listening. Harry was leading him down a flight of stairs into a dark, dreary-looking place. "Where is this?" he asked, interrupting Harry's rambling.

"What?" Harry said.

"_What is this place?" _Batman asked again.

"Oh," Harry said, looking ahead of them as they descended. "This is the dungeons. We have potions here, and Snape's chamber's is down here too."

"And that is where the Headmaster wishes me to stay?" Batman asked, his lenses adjusting to the growing darkness.

Harry grimaced. "Good luck."

Batman didn't like the sound of that.

They reached a door, and Harry stopped. He reached out a hand as to knock, but then pulled it back, looking hesitant.

"Um…do you want to knock?" he asked, looking nervous.

Batman said nothing and made no move to knock.

Harry grimaced again. Cautiously, he knocked twice.

There was silence on the other end for a moment, then a voice asked, "Who is it?"

"Um..." Harry stuttered. "Harry Potter, Professor. Dumbledore sent me to -"

The door flew open with a snap, narrowly missing Harry's face, and the scowling face of Severus Snape appeared in the doorway.

He looked vaguely annoyed at the disturbance, his wand and a jar of an unknown substance in hand. Batman had the notion he had been brewing something.

The Potions Master's eyes traveled first to Harry and then to Batman, his distaste visibly growing by the second. His gaze remained on Batman.

"Back to your dormitory, Potter," he ordered, his dark eyes still fixed on Batman. "I expect you to be on time to Potions today."

Harry gulped. "Yes, Professor," he said. He gave Batman a round-eyed look, mouthed, "Good luck!" and then turned on his heel, quickly leaving the dungeons.

Once Harry was gone, Snape leveled a glare at Batman. Batman glared right back, just as fierce.

They staid like that, two opposing men in black, for a good five minutes before Snape stepped aside to let Batman in.

"I guess I don't have much of a choice," he growled. "But if you ruin anythingI swear I'll hang you from the ceiling by your toes."

Batman figured that was supposed to be a good threat. Silently, he passed Snape by.

It was a big room with two separate ones leading off from the main one. The biggest one was filled with rows and rows of pickled things: frogs, eyes, herbs and many other things Batman couldn't identify. A big desk in the middle was piled high with what Batman assumed was homework written on parchment.

Snape closed the door behind him and silently followed Batman's gaze. "Don't touch anything," he hissed as Batman reached towards what looked like a pickled bird. Batman narrowed his eyes at him, but withdrew his hand.

"You can sleep in the spare room," Snape informed him, gesturing towards the room to the right. "I've transfigured a bed for you. I sleep in the other one. Do what you want in your own, but just don't touch any of the ingredients. Classes start in one hour. Someone will come for you then. Until then, stay put."

And with that, he stalked towards his room with a snap of his robes.

Batman waited until he had closed his door before entering his own room. Besides the small bed – which looked a tad out of place - the room was occupied by a torch and a myriad of trunks, which when Batman opened revealed more potion ingredients and spare robes. Batman narrowed his eyes at some of the things he saw in the jars but closed the trunks without further inspection. It wasn't needed. He then did the same to the door to the room and moved towards his bed.

He had no intention of sleeping. It was early morning, he figured, by how the sun had begun to filter through the few windows he and Harry had passed on the way here. The students they had encountered must have been at breakfast.

That meant it had been roughly nine hours since the museum.

He pursed his lips in distaste. Nine hours unaccounted for alone was unwarranted. Now, he had no idea how many more he'd be off the charts.

He took off his utility belt and spread it over the bedspread. Opening one of the many pockets, he pulled out his communicator. The screen was dark.

Batman punched a few buttons and touched the screen.

Nothing happened.

His hands convulsed in frustration, but he resisted the urge to punch something. He tried the device in several places in the room but to no prevail.

Irritated, he pulled out a few other gadgets and tried them all out the same. All refused to turn on.

Bruce's hands curled into fists again and he threw a Batarang at the wall in anger. It hit with a satisfying _thunk. _

None of his electronics worked inside Hogwarts.

Without his communicator, he could not contact Oracle, or Alfred, and they would probably send out an alert if he didn't respond for a long period of time. Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, or maybe even the JLA would be out looking for him, and would probably not find him.

He was off the map. Stuck.

For now.

Right now, he needed to focus on way of escape, _or – _if it came to it -gaining the Headmaster's trust.

The old wizard planned on keeping him here until whatever problem the Die Katze presented was cleared up. If he could gain the man's trust, he might possible let him help.

If helping involved leaving, Bruce was all for it.

Speaking of leaving, he was already sick of this room. He'd heard no disturbances from Snape yet, and he was more than ready to conduct a thorough inspection of this…magical castle.

Opening the door a crack, Batman saw no light coming from under Snape's door. Soundlessly, he slipped out, his cape whispering ever so slightly as his gloved hand brushed the door handle.

Suddenly, something jabbed him roughly in the back of his neck.

"Take of the mask," Snape growled in his ear.

Batman didn't move.

"I said," Snape repeated, jabbing his wand harder against Batman's skull. "Take off the cowl."

It only took a second. Batman threw back his hands, grabbed a surprised Snape, and threw him against the wall. Hard.

The Potions Master hit a shelf full of pickled animals, causing the precarious wood to fall off its hinges unceremoniously on top of their owner.

The large crash of falling shelves was followed by the thunderous noise of breaking glass hitting stone as every jar of potions ingredients shattered and spilled themselves over the wizard, slime and all.

"_Don't touch me," _Batman growled, putting venom into each syllable.

Snape didn't move but Batman could still see his chest fall up and down. He was breathing. Batman had just knocked him unconscious.

A loud knock on the door sounded behind him, and Bruce whipped around. The light of a lantern shown beneath the door.

"Professor?" a voice called. "What's going on in there? _Professor?" _

McGonagall. Bruce scowled. The noise must have alerted her. He didn't call back, instead slinking into the shadows like usual.

"Professor?" Mcgonagall called again.

There was no response.

BANG! The door flew off its hinges, and Professor Mcgonagall stood in the doorway, smoking wand in hand. Her eyes travelled straight to the wreckage.

"Severus!" she cried, running over to the unconscious Potions Master. She checked his pulse quickly, sighing in relief before looking around. She squinted into the shadows at him.

"What did you do to him?" she demanded.

Batman didn't answer. She stared at him for a long moment, her cat-like eyes boring into his, before producing a stretcher out of thin air and carefully levitating Snape onto it.

"Follow me," she said shortly, walking out with the floating stretcher trailing in her wake.

Batman followed.

After a series of twisting hallways and a few disorienting, moving staircases, Batman found himself in front of a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress.

"Fish Sticks," Professor Mcgonagall said, and the portrait swung open to reveal an entrance to a room filled with comfy-looking couches. Harry was sitting on one along with Ron and Hermione. A few other students milled about as well. They all looked up when Mcgonagall entered.

"Potter, Weasley, Granger, come over here please!" The witch ordered.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other in question before hurryingly scurrying over. Harry gave Batman a small smile, but Batman made no response.

"Yes, Professor?" Hermione asked politely.

"I have a task for you," Mcgonagall informed them evenly. "I have to take Professor Snape to the Hospital Wing, and I need someone to keep an eye on our guest. I trust he will not behave with children the way he does with teachers." She glared at Batman pointedly at this.

"Of course, Professor!" Hermione agreed brightly, but casting a nervous glance at Batman. Harry and Ron were craning their necks to get a good look at Snape.

"Thank you," Professor Mcgonagall said graciously. "And ten points to Gryffindor when I get back."

She gave Batman one last warning look, and then left. Snape's unconscious form trailed ominously behind her.

As soon as the portrait closed the room exploded.

"Whoa, did you see what he did to Snape, mate?"

"He was totally out cold!"

"Who are you, anyway?"

The noise of the room steadily increased, and Batman eyes steadily narrowed.

"QUIET!" Ron yelled, finally silencing the din. "Let the man speak!"

Everyone fell into silence, looking intently at Batman.

Batman scanned the crowd for a moment, letting his presence be known before growling, "This is one "Muggle" who is not to be messed with."

And with that, he slunk over to a table in the shadows, disappearing soundlessly into their depths.

"Wicked," Fred and George said in unison.


	6. Bats, Cats, and Scars

(A/N: Hey! Sorry I haven't updated in so long, but I had Writer's Block on how to proceed with this chapter. I went rollerblading a lot, which helps me, sort out my thoughts, and finally decided how I was going to write this. Enjoy!)

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter or Batman. They belong J. K Rowling, Bob Cane, and DC comics. I do own this plot line, and the object of the Die Katze, but that's about all.**

Catwoman's POV:

I landed on the roof of my hotel with a smile, clutching the Die Katze triumphantly in my hand. Finding my window, I quickly jumped onto the balcony, and slipped into my room. Hiding my prize in the closet for the moment, I quickly changed back into Rachel, and slipped back on the balcony, onto the roof, and down into an alleyway, which I quickly left, and joined to crowd walking on the sidewalk. Smiling, I entered the hotel from the main door, and checked back in. That way, anyone who came to check or clean my room wouldn't get a nasty surprise when they found me there, when I was supposedly out and about.

Feeling smart, I slid my card in the door, and entered my room for the second time. Only when the door was shut, and the curtains closed did I take out the Die Katze again. Placing it in the center of my dresser, I turned on my lamp to admire it.

It was even more gorgeous in the light than I had first assumed. It was made of pure white marble, and carved perfectly. Every curve in the cat's body was as precise as if it was a real cat. But the most breathtaking thing of the whole statue had to be its eyes. Placed in the marble eye-sockets were two, perfectly cut, smoothed, and shinned red rubies. It was that that made the statue so priceless. The two gems, which had been placed exactly horizontally from each other, sparkled in the light of the lamp, making it look like the cat was alive, and starring me down. I smiled. Just like me.

I admired the cat for a few minutes longer, before grabbing my hand-held laptop. What was the point of _having _the cat, if I didn't know its history? I hit the 'Power' button, and while I waited for it to turn on, I watched how the cat seemed to come alive in the light again. It truly was a marvelous piece of art. Once my computer loaded, I hit 'Internet Explorer' and typed in '.org.' It loaded fast, since I had Comcast High Speed Internet,** (A/N: I don't own that.)** and I quickly typed in 'the Die Katze.'

A long page, complete with a very detailed picture of the statue came up. **(A/N: Not for real. There is no Die Katze statue. I made up. Go ahead and try it on Wiki, but I don't think it'll work.)** I skipped the descriptions, and scrolled down to the part labeled 'History.' It was the longest paragraph on the page, so I took my time, instead of speed-reading like I normally do.

**History:**

_The Die Katze, (coming from the German translation of, 'the Cat') has a long, and complicated history. First created by the ancient Egyptians as a shrine to the Cat Goddess, Bast, (see main article, Bast the Cat Goddess,) by an unnamed Egyptian, the Katze is one of the most beautiful and well-crafted artifacts discovered from Ancient Egypt. Its crafted out of pure marble, with eyes of rare rubies, and because of this, costs almost six billion dollars._

I whistled, and then smirked. That's six billion dollars that I didn't have to pay!

_In 1924, the statue was discovered by a young German archeologist, who, having found no records of the statue's official name, gave it one from his native language. The Cat, or the Die Katze. He then sold it to a famous collector, Jacob Kelley, for a reasonable price at the time of one million. It was then passed down from generation to generation until Clara Kelly, a woman of fifty who had never married, donated the statue to a museum in London, where it has been for the passed sixty years._

Until now, that is. I shut down my computer, still smiling, and lay down on my bed, reliving my victory. The cat must be lucky, as well, since it was my lucky hit with it that had knocked out the Bat so I could escape. …what had happened to Batman? From the look of things, he was going to be out for a while. Then again…you never know with Batman. He's quite a guy. Did the police…excuse me, _Bobbies _get him? No, it would have been on the news, or in the paper that they just slid under my door. I would know if the had the Batman in custody.

So that only left one option. He'd gotten away. But to where? He somehow figured out I went to London, and that I was going to try and steal the Die Katze. (Which might have been a _little_ obvious.) Does he know my new identity? Does he know where I'm staying? No, he can't have. He would have been here by now if he did. So…where was he then?

Too many unanswered questions. I closed my eyes for a moment, and sighed. This hotel bed was the most comfiest I'd every slept on… I opened my eyes again. The questions seemed to have left my mind…all accept one. _Where is Batman? Where is Batman? Where is Batman? Where is Batman? _I rolled over, onto my stomach, and starred into the Die Katze's watchful red eyes. _Do you know where Batman is? _I asked it silently.

Suddenly, I gasped, and bolted upright. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I could have sworn I had seen the statue nod!

Slowly, I slid off the bed, walked over to my dresser, and picked the cat up. I sat down on my bed again, starring hard into the cat's red eyes.

It didn't move.

_It was just your imagination. _I told myself. _It didn't nod at you. It was just your imagination!_

Suddenly, the cat shook its head. Slowly, barely noticeable, but I was sure this time. It moved.

I gaped at it, fully in shock now. Nothing was going through my head except _Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. _But then something else popped into my brain. _It responded to my thoughts. _

Just then, right as I thought that, it nodded.

That got my attention. It responded to my thoughts! Waitaminute, waitaminute, had it really nodded to my first thought? Does it know where Batman is?

Just as I thought this, it nodded again.

I was excited now; pushing the thoughts of _How the heck is this happening? _and _What am I doing? _Out of my mind, and focused on one, solitary thought.

_Show me Batman. _I said in my mind.

I waited. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds…now it's been almost a minute. Nothing happened. I sighed. What was I thinking? That this cat was magic or something? That I had really seen it nod? What had I expected, really? To be whisked away to wherever Batman is at the moment? I think I'm going mad.

I laid back down on the bed again, and starred at the ceiling. Maybe some sleep _would_ do me some good…

Suddenly, I was no longer in my room, but in a dark, long hallway. I seemed very low to the ground, for some reason, and seemed to be standing on all fours. Looking down at my hands, I found furry paws instead. I must have fallen asleep, because for some reason I was a cat! I was looking upwards…at the arched ceiling…something in the shadows…wait. Was that who I thought it was? Yes! It was! Batman!

The Dark Knight was starring down at me from one of the long arches that flanked the hallways, with a look on his cowled face of first shock, and then suspicion. Could he see me? No, of course not. I'm dreaming. This isn't real, right? Before I could move, however, I heard a voice from above me, to my left. "What is it, my sweet?" It asked. It sounded ruff and gravely, and reminded me of tires running over a pothole. "Is it more nasty children out of their beds?" Children? Beds? What?

But by then, it was all going black, and I opened my eyes to find myself back in my room, starring into the ruby eyes of the Die Katze. I must have fallen asleep…or had I? Was it just me…or was this cat statue…no, it couldn't be. But I had asked it to show me Batman…and then I had the weird dream of me being a cat and seeing him…could I have really…?

Could the Die Katze really be…magic?

**Hogwarts: 1:00 in the morning**

Batman stood at the biggest table in the Gryffindor Common Room, his shirt and chest armor off. Looking at the chest plate, there was a sizable dent from his fight with Catwoman that needed fixing. He could feel one on his cowl from where the statue hit him to…but he didn't want to risk fixing that one. Not here.

Slipping a little metal tool out of his utility belt, Bruce slowly used a circular motion on the dent from the inside, bending it back into shape. He was almost done, when he heard a rustling sound behind him. Turning around he saw the rising form of Harry on the couch. The three eleven year olds had made makeshift beds on the chairs and couches around the fireplace, and had even made one for Bruce, which lay untouched on the chair, the blankets neatly folded. Something which Harry didn't fail to notice.

Sleepily, he swung his feet around, and looked around widely, obviously afraid that he had lost his charge. "Go back to bed, Harry." Batman said quietly from behind him. Harry's head whipped around, relaxing when he saw Batman. "I thought you'd snuck out." He whispered, as not to wake Ron and Hermione. He glanced at the unused blankets, and then added, "Didn't you sleep at all?" "I'm a bat." Bruce said. "A creature of the night. I don't need to sleep." Harry, shaking his head disbelievingly, stood up and walked over to him. Bruce ignored him, and continued to finish fixing the dent.

"Do you really wear all that armor when you fight crime?" Harry asked. "Yes." Batman said without looking up. "To protect you from what?" Harry asked. "Knives?" "More than that." Bruce answered. "I can usually handle knives. The armor is mostly for bullets." "Bullets?" Harry said, surprised. "People _shoot _at you?" Batman looked at him. Long and hard. "You did in the museum." He said shortly. Harry blushed. "Well, I thought you were stealing the Die Katze." He gushed. "I didn't know you were on our side." "That's why most people shoot at me." Batman said, looking at him seriously. "The people I fight _aren't _on my side." Harry thought about this for a moment, and then nodded.

The stood in silence for a bit, Batman finishing up his fix-it job, and Harry watching him. But then his eyes started to stray towards Bruce's bare chest, arms, and back. Many battle scars and old injuries criss-crossed his bare flesh, reminders of all the work against crime Batman had done. "You have a lot of scars." Harry commented softly.

Bruce looked surprised by the comment, but he nodded. "You have one to." He said, smiling ever so slightly. Harry's hand brushed his forehead absentmindedly where his lightning shape scar was at this. "Yeah." He said quietly. "One I could do without." The stood in silence for a moment, remembering their earlier conversation. Bruce once again had the urge to share his story with Harry, about how his parents were murdered. To show him how much they really were alike. But he held his tongue. Sharing personal information like that to an almost complete stranger was not a good idea. Especially in Batman's case.

Another lengthily silence followed, broken by the chime of a clock somewhere. It was two o'clock. The time Batman had set aside for prowling Hogwarts. He needed to get Harry out of the way, so he could leave, and still have time to prowl before the teachers woke up. "You should be getting some sleep." He said to Harry, hating how much he sounded like a father, but knowing it was needed. "I don't want to be blamed for the reason you can't stay awake in class tomorrow. I'm sure teachers don't appreciate that. Even wizard ones." Harry smiled, but shook his head. "I'd like to stay up." He said. "I find your…work, interesting. Besides, Professor McGonagall told us to keep an eye and you, and I can't very well do that while I'm asleep." He glanced at the sleeping forms of Ron and Hermione as he said this, giving Bruce just the opportunity he needed.

"Harry." He said flatly. The boy turned around. "What?" "Go to sleep." Batman said, and sprayed his knockout gas straight in Harry's face. "Wha…?_ooooo_." Harry groaned, and then collapsed into Batman's waiting arms. Bruce gently picked him up, and put him back on the couch. He felt bad for knocking him out like that, but it needed to be done. Harry needed the sleep, and Batman needed to know just what he was up against…and just what kind of Labyrinth he was trapped in.

He silently walked over to the back of what must have been the portrait of the fat lady that he and Professor McGonagall had first entered through. Pushing it open a crack, he heard the loud snores of what must have been the woman in the portrait. He was slightly unnerved by the thought of thinking, moving, and talking portraits, but he pushed that away, and stepped out. He closed the portrait, and studied the form of the sleeping obese lady. Remembering what McGonagall had said before, "fish sticks," which he assumed was the password, he made a mental note to say it when he wanted to get back in.

But he had a problem.

The fat lady in the portrait would remember him when he said the password to re-enter the Common Room, supposedly never having left. So if McGonagall or anyone else asked her if she had seen him after dark, she would be able to testify. He couldn't have that.

Looking around at the other portraits in the hallway, Bruce spotted one with exactly what he needed. It was a painting of three men at a table. Gambling, by the looks. They had been drinking a _lot _of wine; hence all the empty bottles, and two of the men lay unconscious on the ground. The third was sitting in a chair, humming, and very drunk. Bruce walked over to the portrait, and addressed the one man in a voice and manner he had never before used while in uniform. "Hello there!" He said in a flawless British accent. The man looked at Batman in surprise, as if he hadn't noticed him approach. "'ello mate!" He said drunkenly. "Whas you dressed like a bat for?" Bruce ignored the question. "I was just wonderin' if you noticed that beautiful woman over there." He asked, pointing to the fat lady in the portrait.

The man looked over at her portrait, and seemed too drunk to really take in her appearance. "Aye." He said, swaying ever so slightly now. "Quite a beautifu' lady." "Yes." Bruce said. "I bet she would very much like some of your wine. She looks rather lonely over there." "Yes…yes she does…" The man said, going slightly crossed eyed. "D'ye think I should give her some of me wine?" "I think she would love it." Batman said, smiling fakely. "Alrigh' then." The man said. "I'll give her some. Alrigh' then!" He grabbed a bottle of wine, and shakily stood. Batman thought he was going to fall, but he steadied himself, and walked to the edge of his portrait. He disappeared from it for a moment, and reappeared in the next one, crashing over things until he reached the fat lady's painting. "Here ya go, m'lady." The man said, setting the glass down next to her sleeping form, and patted her fat leg awkwardly, before crashing back to his own painting where he fell unconscious.

Batman smiled, and nudged the fat lady a couple of times, before quickly grabbing his grappling hook, and shooting upwards out of sight. The woman woke with a grunt, and looked around to see who pocked her. "Who's there?" She asked, but when she got no answer, she started to fall back asleep. But not without noticing the wine. Picking it up, she sniffed the open lid, before shrugging, and taking a big gulp. After a few minutes, the whole bottle was gone, and the woman swayed drunkenly.

Bruce smiled. He had a feeling if he said the password to get in _now, _that the fat lady wouldn't remember it in the morning.

Much more secure now, Batman dropped down, and ventured off into the castle. He made sure to leave small, barely noticeable bat-shaped symbols in each hallway and staircase he climbed or went through, so he could find his way back. It truly was a marvelous castle, and a tricky one. Halfway down one of the steps, Bruce's foot slid through a trick step, leaving it dangling in thin air. Several times he tried doors that weren't doors at all, but walls pretending to be doors, and had to hide from countless ghosts, and what looked to be a havoc-causing poltergeist.

But nonetheless, his findings were rewarding. He had discovered what seemed to be most of the classrooms. In the dungeons, one filled with caldrons, and pickled things like in Snape's chamber, which he assumed must be the Potions classroom. He also found one filled with spell books and pillows, which must be a classroom for practicing spells, one filled with different types of animals, and a couple books with a title with the word 'Transfiguration,' which must have been where the students learned how to change one thing into an other, and a couple more he couldn't identify.

Last, he found what had to be the Dinning Hall. It was the room where all the students had been filing out before when he and Harry had encountered the blond boy Malfoy. It had four long diagonal tables, and a fifth one horizontally in the front. Banners hung on the walls, showing off five different pictures. Four where animals, one yellow and black with a badger, one blue and gray with a raven, one green and silver with a snake, and lastly, a red and gold one with a lion. He thought he'd seen the last one in the 'Gryffindor Common Room' back with Harry, but he didn't know the others. But he had a good idea what the fifth one might be. It was a banner with a big G in the middle, encircled by the four animals on the other banners. By the looks, it was the Hogwarts Crest. Ever castle had to have one, apparently. Even magic ones.

That's when he noticed the tiny rays of sunlight filtering through the glass windows in the room. _I'd better get back. _Batman thought, and briskly left the hall. He followed his bat 'bread crumbs' back to the fat lady's portrait, and was almost there, when he heard footsteps turning the corner. Acting fast, he once again grabbed his grappling hook, and shot up into the rafters, just as a man turned the corner, with a small, stripped tabby cat with bright yellow eyes. The man, who was rather short with long, unkempt hair, and a trench coat, waved his lantern around in the corners, obviously looking for people hiding in the shadows. Bruce silently was glad he didn't choose to hide _there. _As the pair passed under Batman, the cat stopped, and looked up.

Straight at him.

For a moment, the cat's yellow eyes burned into his, and then, suddenly, they turned to green. Batman's white eye slits widened in shock, before narrowing in suspicion. The color of the cat's eyes…they looked exactly like…no, it couldn't be… Before he could think through it further, however, the man, who seemed to have notice the cat had stopped, spoke. "What is it, my sweet?" He asked the cat. "Is it more nasty children out of their beds?" The cat's green eyes held Batman's gaze for a moment, but he blinked, and when he opened his eyes again, the cat was no longer looking at him. The two kept moving, but before they turned the corner, Bruce caught a glance at the cat's face.

Its eyes were no longer brilliant green, but lamp-like yellow, like before.

_What just happened? _Batman wondered vaguely.

(A/N: So how was that? Did you sorta get what was going on there? I only recently thought of this part of the story, (that's what took me so long to update,) but I want to see if you guys got it…review and see if you guessed right!)


	7. Biceps, Pimples, and Wizard School

(A/N: Hey everyone! My sincere apologies for not updating in like, forever. But I do have an excuse! Um, you see, I had this whole chapter written out in a notebook, and I just needed to type it up. But…then I lost the notebook. So then I had to rewrite the whole thing, and type it up, which took much longer than I wanted it too. So yeah, sorry about the wait, but here's the seventh chapter. Enjoy!)

Batman quickly said the password to the drunken Fat Lady, and slipped into the Common Room unnoticed. He strode over to the empty table he had now claimed as his own, and busied himself with making an antidote for Joker Venom, for lack of something to do. He forced himself to set up the necessary equipment before letting himself ponder what he had seen.

That cat. It had looked straight at him, and Bruce was positive that its eyes were yellow. But then they had turned…green. It made no sense, and Batman would have pushed it away as lack of sleep, or the castles magic playing tricks on him, if it wasn't for…the color. Bruce could not ignore the fact that the cat's eyes were the _exact same shade_ as Selina Kyle's.

Catwoman.

It could have been a coincidence, of course.

But Batman didn't _believe _in coincidences.

Nevertheless, there was nothing he could do about it now. So he turned his focus onto his work, until morning started to creep into the room, and his "guards" started to stir.

Harry awoke first, the knockout gas that Batman had put him to sleep with the other night having worn off. Ron and Hermione, stretching and yawning from the couch, soon followed him. Harry turned, his eyes falling on Batman. He looked confused for a second, as if he had forgotten who he was, but soon realization dawned on him, as he remembered the events of last night.

He didn't seem to know whether to smile or frown, so he turned to Ron and Hermione instead. Batman debated whether he should go over and say something to him. Apologize, maybe. For the knockout gas. But he was saved the trouble of the decision when two identical walking disasters came down the staircase from the boys' dormitory.

"Whatcha working on?" Fred and George said in innocent voices, strolling over to where Batman was still making his antidote. Bruce's intuition had already warned him that these two redheads were trouble, so he simply narrowed his eyes, and ignored them.

Of course, that didn't discourage the Weasley twins. Fred, with an evil grin on his face, outstretched his hand towards the open container of Joker Venom. "Don't touch that!" Batman growled, slapping his hand away. Fred and George looked at him innocently. "Why not?" They asked in unison. "It's dangerous." Batman warned them, but instantly regretted his choice of words. Fred and George's eyes lit up on the word "dangerous," and after that, Bruce couldn't keep them away. They tried a number of different tricks to lure Batman away from his work, none of which were effective.

Tired of trying to convince the Caped Crusader that Neville Longbottom was drowning in the bathroom, and needed saving, or Professor McGonagall had called for him to meet her in her office, Fred and George huddled in the corner near the hearth, discussing a _new _strategy. Batman watched them suspiciously, wishing he hadn't brought the Joker Venom out in the first place.

A couple of minutes later, their huddle broke up, and the two of them came strolling up to Batman again a little too innocently. "Excuse me, Batman." Fred said sweetly, "We were wondering if you'd like to join us for breakfast." "Being _new _and all…" George picked up. "We thought you could use some hospitality."

Batman narrowed his eyes.

"I know what you're up to." He growled at them, eyeing the wand pocking out of George's sleeve. "And I'm _not _going to fall for it." As he said this, he turned his back on Fred.

His mistake.

"NOW FRED!" George yelled, and Fred slipped his wand out from the inside of his robe sleeve, and shouted "Wingardium Leviosa!" Batman lunged, as the bottle of Joker Venom rose into the air, but missed. The bottle soared over his head, and landed into Fred's outstretched hand.

The moment the bottle touched down, the two of them bolted for the boys' dormitory. "NO!" Batman yelled after them. "DON'T TOUCH IT!"

Too late. Immediately, mad laughter filled the Common Room, and Fred and George fell down the stairs, a giant smile stretched across their faces, and their skin ghastly white. A couple of people screamed, and a couple laughed along, thinking it was some sort of prank. But it wasn't, and Bruce knew that they had about another couple minutes to live with that strong a dose, if he didn't take action.

Batman grabbed his unfinished antidote, and quickly started throwing in ingredients. He shook the vile madly, as everyone started to realize this wasn't some sort of joke, as Fred and George started to suffocate, still laughing.

Batman finished that antidote, separated it into two beakers, and poured it down the laughing twins throats. Immediately, Fred and George's laughter died, and turned into a slight hiccup, as they turned back to normal. When Fred sat up, Bruce wrenched the bottle of Joker Venom out of his hand.

"That," Batman said through clenched teeth, "Is why you _never_ play with Joker Venom. Got it?" The twins nodded fiercely, before scamperingup the stairs to the dormitory, still hiccupping.

Batman straightened up, and walked back over to his table, cleaning everything up hurriedly, and stuffing it back into his utility belt where they belonged before any other misconceptions could occur.

When he was finished, Bruce looked around. People were still muttering about what had happened to Fred and George, but most seemed to have gotten over it.

Then he spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione, talking in low voices in their usual spots by the fireplace. Smiling ever so slightly, Batman melted into the shadows, and slipped up behind them unnoticed.

"…he's really not all that bad." Harry was saying, an Bruce had a sinking feeling that they were discussing him. "You _can't trust him _Harry!" Hermione exploded. "He's dark, and creepy, with that raspy voice and…and everything _about_ him spells trouble!" "You worry too much, Hermione." Ron said calmly. "I mean really, how bad can someone who _fights crime _really be?"

"That's not the point!" Hermione exclaimed, looking flustered. "We have _no _idea who he _really is _under that mask, let alone what he's _capable _of! He's a _vigilante._" Harry and Ron simply rolled their eyes. "Besides," Hermione scoffed, "You can't just decide how nice someone is based on how big their _biceps _are."

Harry and Ron starred at her for a moment in disbelief, before bursting into laughter. Hermione blushed, and Batman smirked, resisting the urge to laugh also.

"Well, it's true!" She defended herself hotly. "Is that…" Harry said breathlessly, "Is that _really _all you were _thinking_ about when you met him?" "No." Hermione said. Too quickly. Ron snorted, "Right…" He said, smirking. Hermione hit him with a book.

"Still, my opinion stands the same." Hermione said when they all calmed down, and Ron stopped cussing. (He was still massaging his head though.) "He's dangerous. Look what he did to Professor Snape!" Harry and Ron snorted. "What _Batman _did to _Snape _was the _funniest thing _I've _ever seen_!" Ron chortled. "You wouldn't be laughing if it happened to _you, _would you?" Hermione countered.

An awkward silence fell over the group. "Well…he hasn't hurt us." Ron said finally. "_Yet._" Hermione said, and Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably. Hermione rounded on him. "He _hasn't _hurt you, _right_?" She asked worriedly.

"Well…not _exactly_." Harry said quietly, before telling Ron and Hermione the events of last night, leaving out he and Batman's little…chat. When he reached the part when Batman had sprayed him with the knockout gas, Hermione freaked.

"He sprayed you with some sort of _gas_?" She exclaimed, jumping up, and trying to drag Harry of the couch. "Ohmygosh, we have to get you to Madam Promfery! It could be some sort of poison, or-" "Hermione, calm _down_." Harry said, annoyed, wrenching his arm out of Hermione's grip. "I'm sure it wasn't _lethal_. I mean…I feel fine." "Then what _was _it then?" Hermione snarled.

"Knockout gas." Batman said simply, stepping out from the shadows behind Hermione, and making all three of them jump. "And I assure you, Hermione, it's nothing lethal." Hermione paled. "How…how long have you been standing there?" She asked weakly, starring at Batman as if he had just apparated. "Long enough." Bruce said, smirking. "Now, if you're all done talking about my _biceps_, I think it's about time you three went down to breakfast. Everyone else has already left."

Hermione turned _so _red; you could have used her cheeks as a grill. Harry and Ron were beside themselves with laughter. Batman simply smirked.

It took a while for Harry and Ron to stop laughing, but soon the three students left for breakfast, Hermione's face still flushed, and Harry and Ron still chortling. Batman trailed behind them soundlessly, Harry reminding him that McGonagall would probably be waiting for him.

Sure enough, as they neared the Entrance Hall, the emerald robes, pointed hat, and tapping foot of Professor McGonagall loomed in front of them. "Finally!" She exclaimed as they approached. "I was starting to think that something had happened to you. Potter, Granger, Weasley, you may go in for breakfast. I must discuss with Batman concerning his schedule." Batman narrowed his eyes. "'Schedule'?" He echoed doubtfully. "Well, you didn't think I'd let you haunt the Gryffindor Common Room all day, did you?" She scoffed, and Harry snorted.

McGonagall turned to the three of them. "Shoo!" She said, waving her hands at them. "Off to breakfast, the three of you! You're already late as it is!" Harry shot Batman a quick smile, before slipping into the Great Hall along with Ron and Hermione, leaving the Dark Knight and Professor McGonagall alone.

"Well. Mr. Batman." Professor McGonagall said, clearing her throat. "The Headmaster and I had a discussion last night, and it's clear from the events last night, that we cannot allow you to…do as you please." She paused, waiting for Bruce to respond, but he simply narrowed his eyes.

"So," She continued, "we have come to the conclusion that you will be staying with Potter, Weasley, and Granger during your…_visit_. You will be attending all their classes with them, and tagging along with whatever activities they attend." She handed him a schedule with all the first-year Gryffindor classes on them. "You don't have to _participate _in the classes if you don't wish to, of course." She continued, not meeting his eyes, but then suddenly locking gazes.

"These are three eleven-year olds." She said fiercely. "You seem to get along with _them _better than Severus, so that's why Dumbledore and I agreed to this…this _arrangement._ But be warned, we _will _be watching you, and if _any _harm comes to these kids, you will have to answer to _me._" She looked so fierce right then, that even Batman didn't dare opposed her. "Am I _clear_?" She snarled. Bruce nodded briefly.

"Good." Mcgonagall said, straightening up. "You start right after breakfast, and since I figured you didn't want to eat in a crowd, I took the liberty of having your meal brought up to the Common Room. I trust you remember the password?" "Yes." Batman said quietly. "Good. I'll leave you to it then." Mcgonagall said briskly, turning on her heel.

"I would never hurt him you know." Batman said quietly to her back. "Not Harry." McGonagall stopped, and turned around slowly. She locked eyes with him, and opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly went rigid. She shuddered, and her eyes closed. "Professor?" Batman said worriedly, rushing forward. "McGonagall?"

Minerva was clutching her head now. "What is…?" She murmured, and then her eyes flew open. What color McGonagall's eyes were before, Batman didn't know. But now they were a brilliant green…a shade he knew _very _well. But before he could react, Professor McGonagall shuddered and screamed, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" before passing out into Batman's arms.

A deathly quiet fell in the Great Hall behind him, before it turned into a roar of running feet, as the students rushed out of the double doors to find the source of the scream. When they spotted Batman holding McGonagall's limp body, and girl screamed. "I knewit!" Malfoy yelled, pointing at Batman accusingly. "I _knew _it! He's a vampire! _That's _why he dresses up as a bat! He bit Professor McGonagall, and now he is going to kill us all!"

"ENOUGH, Mr. Malfoy." A strong voice rang out, and the crowd instantly hushed. Dumbledore made his way through the crowd until he was directly in front of Batman, still holding Professor McGonagall's limp body in his arms. Dumbledore placed a weary hand on McGonagall's forehead. "What happened?" He asked quietly. "I don't know." Batman said flatly, careful to leave all emotion out of his voice. "One moment she was giving me my schedule, the next she was shaking, and screaming about someone in her head. Then she passed out." He left out the part with her eyes turning green. Dumbledore gave him a searching look, and Bruce had a sinking feeling that the Headmaster knew he wasn't telling the whole truth. But he kept his mouth shut.

"Come with me." Dumbledore said slowly, after a moment of silence, before turning around, and making his way though the crowd. Batman followed, caring the out-cold McGonagall in his arms. "Vampire!" Draco hissed as he passed, and Batman "accidentally" tripped him.

He followed Dumbledore through moving staircases, and various hallways, before stopping in front of a stone gargoyle. "Lemon Drops." Dumbledore said clearly, and the gargoyle sprang away, revealing the winding staircase beyond. Dumbledore started to ascend, and Batman followed. At the top, Albus opened a door to reveal an oval-shaped room; filled with trinkets and things Bruce had never seen before, not to mention the collection of moving portraits, or the giant flame-colored bird.

"Welcome to my office." Dumbledore said, gesturing around the room. "Put Minerva down on the rug, so I can revive her." Batman nodded soundlessly, and placed the Transfiguration teacher gingerly down on the rug. Dumbledore squatted down, and pulled out his wand. He murmured something indistinguishable, and a blue mist drifted out from the tip of his wand, and clouded McGonagall's face, before evaporating.

McGonagall moaned, and her eyes flew open. She looked confused, and sickly. She sat up slowly, massaging her forehead. "Dumbledore what…what _happened_?" She moaned. "I was hoping you might be able to enlighten _us _on that, my dear." Dumbledore said, handing her a goblet of water. "I've heard the scene from Mr. Batman's point of view, but not from the victim herself."

McGonagall processed this rather slowly, before nodding. "Let me…gather my bearings first Headmaster." She said faintly. She looked rather sickly. "Of course." Dumbledore said politely, backing off, and giving her room. McGonagall took a couple of shaky breaths, before forcing herself to stand. Dumbledore drew her a chair out of thin air, and she gratefully sat back down, looking a little green.

"Now." Dumbledore said, sitting down as well, and motioning for Batman to pull up a chair. "Whenever you're ready Professor." Batman, ignoring the chair Dumbledore offered, positioned himself in the shadows behind Dumbledore. "Well," McGonagall said slowly, eyeing Batman wearily, but addressing Dumbledore. "I was giving Batman his schedule, like you said. I explained it, then turned to go back to my office."

She paused. "Go on." Dumbledore urged her on politely. "And…and that's when I _felt _it_._" She whispered. "I turned, and it was like walking into one of the ghosts. I was frozen in place, and no longer had any control over my limbs. And…and there was this _voice._ A voice that I didn't recognize along side my own. Thinking thoughts that weren't mine." "Do you remember what the voice said?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

McGonagall hesitated. "It said… 'Where is Batman?'" She said quietly. "Then it kept repeating itself, turning me around until it locked eyes on…him. And by then I was starting to realize someone was in my head. I…I think…they heard my thoughts, and realized that…they were possessing a person. Because the voice said, "Oh my God, I'm not a cat!' Then I screamed 'Get out of my head!' and…and everything…went black." She closed her eyes, and let out a long, shaky breath.

There was a long pause, broken by Batman. "Was it a female voice?" He asked McGonagall tonelessly. "Yes, defiantly." McGonagall said, not meeting his eyes. "Young too, from what it sounded like. Younger than me." Batman nodded, looking disturbed. Dumbledore turned to Batman. "I'm assuming you have come to a conclusion?" He asked the Caped Crusader. Bruce simply narrowed his eyes, and set his jaw. Dumbledore waited for a response, but when none came, he sighed. "I thought as much." He said, taking Batman's silence as a refusal to share his "conclusion," which it was. "So I will tell you what _I _have concluded."

He watched Batman for objection, but when none was uttered, he continued. "From what I've learned," He said, "I think it's safe to say that this attack was the work of this American thief 'Catwoman,' along with the power of the Die Katze." He looked at Batman. "Am I right?" Batman nodded slowly.

"Good." Dumbledore said. "Then I believe it is _also _safe to conclude that Catwoman has unlocked the power of the Die Katze, and is using it to infiltrate Hogwarts by possessing anything _cat _related, as displayed by this incident, and the one that occurred last night." He smiled at Batman, eyes twinkling. "Do you agree?" "Yes." Batman said, giving no recollection of the fact that Dumbledore knew of his investigation last night. "Except for two things. One, I see how the possession of the cat-" "Mrs. Norris," Dumbledore said, naming the cat. "…Mrs. Norris last night was cat-related," Batman corrected himself. "But not the attack on McGonagall."

"I do." McGonagall said quietly, speaking for the first time in a while. "It must be the fact I'm an Animagus. The Die Katze sensed that, and led Catwoman to try and possess me. But Catwoman thought she was possessing…a cat. So she found it harder to control me, because I had the mind and body of a human." "I think you might be right." Dumbledore said softly.

" 'Animagus'?" Batman asked vaguely. "It's a magical term." McGonagall said. "A person who can turn into a certain animal at will. It's a dangerous process to become one, and you have to be registered by the Ministry of Magic. In my case, I can turn into a tabby cat." Before Bruce's eyes, McGonagall suddenly hunched over, and shrunk, until all that was left was a stripped tabby cat, with peculiar markings around its eyes, sitting in the chair.

The cat meowed, and then transformed back into Professor McGonagall. "See?" She said, smiling ever so slightly at the astonished expression that Batman hurried to hide with his usual stony one. "I see." He said uneasily. He had a feeling he'd never look at Professor McGonagall the same way again.

"And what was your _second _thought?" Dumbledore inquired. Bruce narrowed his eyes. "My second thought," He said slowly, "is that I don't think Catwoman was infiltrating Hogwarts just for anyone. She was infiltrating it to find _me_."

Catwoman's POV:

_**Earlier**_

I had fallen into a restless sleep, after hours of pacing, and pondering about "The Incident." (That's what I'd taken to calling it.) Practically every emotion known to man I had experienced in that couple of hours. Happiness, wonder, amazement, confusion, disbelievement…and one I wasn't proud of. Fear.

But all were short lived. And then only one shone through. This was a wonderful opportunity. My big break! I had a _very powerful _and maybe even _magical _object at my disposal.

And I planned to _use _it.

When I awoke the next morning, I felt oddly refreshed. It took me a moment to realize why, but then it hit me. I no longer ached all over, like I always did after an encounter with Batman.

Confused at this lack of pain, I checked my bruises from the museum to find to my surprise they no longer existed. My eyes bugged, and I whipped around to look at where I had set the Die Katze last night. It sat on my dresser, starring at me with its bright red ruby eyes. Could it have…?

I shook the thought out of my head. Less _wondering, _and more _pondering. _I need to figure out how to _use _my new weapon before I could _do _anything else with it. I pulled a cheetah-patterned notebook from my beside table drawer, and opened it to a new page. Then I clicked the end of my ball point pen, and made a list:

Things I Know About the Die Katze:

Is an Egyptian statue made as an offering to the Greek God Bast (Fact)

Has magical abilities (?)

Can possess cats (?)

Responds to thoughts (Fact)

I chewed on the end of my pen, and studied the list. Two and Three still were questioned marked, but number One I was sure of. I knew where the Die Katze came from, so therefore I should be able to figure out its _full _history. Not just what it says on Wikipedia.

And number Four. I know how to _activate _the cat, but not _control _it. Yet. But being able to activate it was the first step, and hopefully how to control it would come with trial and error.

I just certainly hope that that trail and error isn't fatal.

Pushing that thought away, I focused on the task at hand. I sat on the edge of my bed, and took a deep breath. I could feel the Die Katze's red eyes on me, and I shivered. Well, now was a good a time as ever.

I opened my eyes, and starred straight at the rubies in the cat's eye sockets. "Show me Batman." I thought, keeping it as solid as a thought as I could, without any of my other reactions taking control.

I starred into the red eyes, and suddenly I was falling into them, swallowed by its blood-red shade, and once again feeling like I just got sucked into a vacuum cleaner. I fell…and fell…and fell…until I fell and melted into something…solid.

I realized my eyes were squeezed shut, so I opened them, and was momentarily surprised to see a long highway in front of me. "Where is Batman?" I thought, since it was the only thing I seemed capable of thinking in this situation. I mean…that's what I had asked for, right? I turned around, and found myself face to face with the Caped Crusader. My mouth opened in a silent scream, and I was sure he was going to punch my lights out, right there and then.

But…he didn't look angry. He looked worried and…confused. And that's when I heard it. Another voice in my head…alongside mine! It was a woman, and her thoughts were muddled…confused, and I couldn't make them out. But then one solid thought blared through, like it had suddenly been plugged into an amp. "Someone's in my head!"

And that's when it hit me. I wasn't on four legs like I had been before. No…I was on two legs. And I didn't have paws…I had _fingers_… "Oh-my-God," I thought in horror. "I'm not a cat!" Then the other voice screamed, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" and I was rocketing upwards, out of whomever I had just unintentionally possessed, back through the labyrinth of swirling redness, and landing on my bed in a blink of an eye.

I lay there for what must have been twenty minutes before my heart rate slowed down, and I allowed myself to breath. I sat up shakily, glancing at the Die Katze, before quickly looking away. It looked so innocent and inviting, sitting there on the dresser, but I knew better now. I through a cloth over it, before letting out a sigh of relief.

I sat down hard on my bed, and pulled out my cheetah notebook again and added:

Can also possess PEOPLE

Note to self: Be careful what you wish for.

I closed my notebook, and sprawled across my bed. This…is going to be more complicated than I thought.

Hogwarts:

_**Now**_

"You think Catwoman was only looking for _you_?" Dumbledore asked Batman, mildly surprised. "Why is that?" Batman set his jaw. "Because I was present during both attacks." He said quietly. "And she made eye contact with me both times. I don't believe that to be a coincidence. Besides, Selina doesn't even know Hogwarts exists."

McGonagall thought about this. "Yes…I suppose so." She said slowly. "But _you _seem to know more about Catwoman than us, having encountered her in the past. Maybe you could give us the information we need to defeat her."

"I could." Batman said stiffly. "But I'm not going to." McGonagall's eyes flashed. "Why not?" She snapped. "Because I don't _need _to." Batman said with an icy smirk. "The truth is, _you _need _me_. A so-called 'muggle.' You need me to give you my knowledge on Catwoman so you can regain your magical statue. But _I _don't need _you. _I already _know _where Catwoman is hiding, and I can bet you a _lot _of American dollars that _I _would have a better chance at beating her that your whole *? school."

There was a stunned silence in which Batman seemed to be able to control. "I can make you a deal." He said in a deadly whisper. "I will give you the information you _need_, in return for being granted leave, so I may go back to London, and also granted re-entry to Hogwarts when I please."

"NO." McGonagall said firmly, slamming her fist on Dumbledore's desk, and rising. "_NO_. I don't trust you as it is, and there's no _telling _what you could do with that liability." She glared at Batman seething. "Fine. That's your vote." Batman growled, before rounding on Dumbledore. "What's yours?" Dumbledore looked calmly at Batman, hands folded neatly. "At this time, I'm afraid I must vote no." He said gravely. "However much we need the information, I have only known you for less than two days. I do not, even though I am a _very _trusting person, have full trust in you yet, and must proceed with caution. So I am afraid I can't grant you the liberty of 'coming an going as you please' quite yet."

Bruce's eyes thinned to slits, and he stalked over to the door. "Fine." He growled, wrenching it open. "Keep me here as long as you'd like, but you'll have to give in eventually. If you change your mind, you know where to find me." And with that, he slammed the door and was gone.

Walking briskly, Batman pulled out the schedule McGonagall had given him from where he had stashed it in his cape. On it, it listed all of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's classes, and what time they had them. Batman wasn't entirely sure what time it was, considering his watch wasn't exactly working, but he figured from how the light was filtering through the windows, and how long his shadow was, that it was not long after nine.

Bruce checked his schedule.

9:00- Transfiguration

Transfiguration. The name rang a bell… Then Batman remembered. One of the classrooms he had visited last night had books labeled Transfiguration. That must be where he was supposed to head. Bruce quickly stuffed the paper back into his cape, before pulling out his grappling gun. He didn't know why traveling by rafter made him feel more secure, but he liked it.

A couple of minutes later, Bruce arrived at one of the classrooms he had visited the other night. He smiled when he saw Harry's mop of black hair, but stiffened when he caught site of who the teacher was.

McGonagall.

Bruce was not eager to face this firm, strict witch again so soon, but he slipped into the class anyway. He wondered how she had gotten there from Dumbledore's office so quickly. "…today we will be learning how to turn a beetle into a button." McGonagall was saying. She didn't stop as Batman entered, but he could see her watching him out of the corner of her eye. "Remember the wand movement we practiced yesterday, and try your best. Get to work!"

She clapped her hands, and everyone proceeded to poke and prod their beetles with their wands, and muttering senseless words. Or at least, that's what Batman made of it. He slipped into the shadows behind Harry, and watched Ron squash his beetle in the act of trying to transfigure it. "Nice try, Ron." Harry said, before turning to Batman. "Hey." He greeted him. "McGonagall told us that you'll be taking all our classes with us." Batman nodded soundlessly.

Harry smiled. "Cool." He said. "Because next period we have potions. With Snape. And the Slytherins." Ron groaned. "I forgot about that." He said. "We have to take potions with _Malfoy_." "Malfoy." Batman repeated. "The blond boy who thinks I'm a vampire?" "That's the one." Harry said grimly. "But with _you _there," Ron said eagerly, catching on, "things may be a little more fun." "How so?" Batman asked slowly.

Hermione sighed, setting down her eighth perfect button in a row. "They're under the impression," She said, "that your presence will scare Professor Snape and Draco, and you will do something similar to what you did before." She glared at him. "And I really hope you _don't_." "You're such a part-pooper Hermione." Ron said.

"Your beetle is getting away." Hermione pointed out, and Ron scrambled to grab it. The rest of the class went by in silence, ending with Ron still not have succeeded in changing his beetle into a button. "I don't know, your beetle seemed rounder than it was before." Harry said, trying to cheer his mate up. "Nice try, Harry." Ron sighed, grabbing his books, and leaving the class alongside Harry, Hermione, and Batman. "But I guess it's time to accept the fact that I'm a failure at Transfiguration."

"Well _I'm _not!" Hermione said cheerfully, showing off her handful of colorful buttons that she had made. "This one's my favorite." She said, holding up a big, bright orange one. "It reminds me of the sunset." "Good for you…" Ron mumbled, looking sour.

They reached the dungeon, and Harry pushed open the heavy door, taking their seats at their normal table. Batman loomed behind them. Not many students were there yet, and Snape was nowhere to be seen. After a couple minutes, more students began to file in, and take their seats, chattering about homework and- Bruce must have heard wrong- _Qudditch. _If it weren't for the cauldrons, Batman would have been fooled into thinking that this was just a normal Junior High.

Suddenly, a door slammed, and the room fell silent. Snape walked down the aisle, black robes billowing, and stopped at the front of the room. This was the first time Bruce had seen Snape teach, so he paid close attention.

Snape still had his back to the class, and was fiddling with something on his desk. "Today," he said in his most deadly voice, "you will be brewing the Cure for Boils. That's on page 286 in your books." As he said this, he turned around.

Snape had two black eyes, and a puffed-up bottom lip with a cut dividing it in two. A couple of Gryffindor's snickered, and Batman smirked. Someone had been taught a lesson.

Snape scowled, and that, combined with his injuries, made him look even uglier.

"Well, what are you starring at?" He snapped, glaring at the class. "Get to work! The necessary ingredients are all-" he broke off as his eyes fell on Batman. "Uh-oh…" Harry whispered.

"YOU!" Snape snarled, his eyes alight with fury. "WHAT ARE _YOU _DOING HERE?" "He's…he's supposed to be here, Professor." Harry spoke up meekly. "Dumbledore told him to…er, tag along in all of our classes." "I DON'T REMEMBER ASKING YOU, POTTER!" Snape growled. "5 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR FOR TALING OUT OF TURN!" Harry cringed, and shut up.

Snape whirled around to face Batman again, who hadn't moved a muscle. They starred each other down for a moment, before Snape spoke. "Well," he said mockingly, "if you will be joining us, it seems only fair that you participate." He smiled nastily, and pulled up an empty cauldron, and plopped it down next to Hermione. "Here's a book," Snape said, slamming an old potions book down on the table, "and here's the ingredients." He set a number of different vials, objects, and other things down on the table.

"What do you say?" Snape asked Bruce, a challenge in his eyes. Batman set his jaw. If he refused, he'd look like wimp, and Snape wouldn't hesitate to announce that. If he accepted, he would be at the mercy of whatever Snape threw at him.

But _no one _made Batman look like a wimp.

Bruce strode forward, and opened the book to page 286 in complete silence. Snape smiled. "Well then." He said. "That's settled. Chop chop everyone! Get to work!" He sat down at his desk, still smiling, as everyone gathered their ingredients, and started boiling.

Batman read the potion, and his brow furrowed. None of the ingredients that Snape had given him were labeled, and he had no idea which one he should put in first. He followed everyone's lead, lighting his fire, and heating his cauldron. Then he was truly at loss.

"Psst!" Hermione hissed, careful to keep her eyes on her bubbling cauldron, so Snape couldn't see her whispering. "Mine are labeled!" Bruce glanced at her ingredients, and saw they were all in a neat line, labeled, and in alphabetical order. He smiled. "Thanks." He whispered. "No problem." Hermione whispered back, but she did not smile. "But don't get any ideas. I still don't trust you." Bruce smiled. "I never expected you to." He said. Hermione glanced at him, and the edges of her mouth turned up in a small smile, before she busied herself with her potion, cheeks flushed.

Bruce, smiling every so slightly himself, managed to keep up with the Cure for Boils, with the help of Hermione's labeled ingredients, and his already-high-level chemist abilities, used on his war on crime. He was about to add the porcupine quills, when Snape clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Make sure you add the porcupine quills _before _the knotgrass!" He reminded them. "Other whys, you'll end up with not the _cure _for boils, but the _creation _of them!" Bruce stopped, hand hovering over his cauldron with the porcupine quills. He hesitated, before setting down the quills next to the knotgrass. "If you add the knotgrass _before _the porcupine quills, you get the _creation _of boils…" He muttered, before grabbing the knotgrass, and tossing it into the cauldron, followed by the porcupine quills.

Hermione grabbed his wrist as he started stirring. "Are you _crazy_?" She hissed. "You heard what he said. If you put the knotgrass in before the porcupine quills you'll get the opposite effect!" "Exactly." Batman said, defeating Hermione's grip, and stirring again. She looked at him like he had went off the deep end, and clearly believed it. "You'll see…" He assured her, before adding the last few ingredients to the potion.

"Time's up!" Snape said, clapping his hands. "Spoons down!" Ron reluctantly put down his spoon, glazed with some fowl-looking green goop.

Snape walked around, observing everyone's potions, while making nasty comments like, "Is that potion supposed to be white? Looks more like gray to me." Or, "What to you call _that _pile of goo?" As he neared Batman's cauldron, Bruce's hand slipped to his utility belt, and pulled out a small capsule.

Finally, Snape reached his table. "Well, well, well Batman." He sneered, leaning over to inspect Bruce's potion. "Let's see how you did, shall-" the rest of his sentence was cut off in a long scream, as Batman threw the capsule into the cauldron, causing the bubbling liquid to explode in the potions masters face.

Snape clutched his face, cussing madly, as he tried to wipe the liquid off. As he did, big, bright red boils started to appear all over his face, making him look like he had the chicken pox. "Oops." Batman said sarcastically, his voice laced with fake sympathy. "I must have put the knotgrass in _before _the porcupine quills. _My bad._" The whole class bursted into laughter, and Batman smirked.

Then the bell rang, signaling the end of class, and everyone started filing out, still chortling. Batman started to leave, but found his path blocked by a very pimply Snape. "You think you're so _clever_, don't you." He snarled, and giant red zit starting to form on his hooked nose. "You and your little gadgets, and impressive Kung Fu. Well, I got news for you, you filthy muggle. You might have fooled everyone else, but you will never, _ever, _be better than me in _anything _in the Wizarding world. _A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G._"

"But I already am." Batman said smoothly. Snape's eyes narrowed. "How so?" He growled. Bruce smirked. "I wear _black _better than you." He said matter-o-factly, before pushing past the stunned and pimply Snape, and leaving the dungeon behind.

The rest of the day was rather uneventful. Batman trailed behind Harry, Ron, and Hermione to Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and a number of other classes, taking a break only to have lunch, and later dinner, in the Common Room, where his food magically appeared.

Bruce now sat at his little table, (he's practically claimed it now,) nibbling on a cheese sandwich, while reading his schedule. It was dinner time now, then all the students would have a "study period," in either their Common Room, or the library, before curfew and lights out.

The library. Up till now, Bruce didn't even know the school _had _a library. Who _knew _how much magical information it held? And even more than that, what information it had on the Die Katze?

Batman needed all the info he could get his hands on about that magic cat statue, if he had any chance of convincing Dumbledore to let him out of the castle to find- and defeat- Catwoman. He had to get to the library somehow, even if he had to sneak out of the castle after dark to do so. Something after his meeting with Dumbledore would be very risky, if he had to.

It turned out he didn't need to.

The Gryffindor's came back from dinner, chatting loudly, before settling down with their textbooks and homework for study period. Batman spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione through the crowd, claiming their usual positions by the fire. Batman slided over to them, and watched them soundlessly. Harry and Ron immediately pulled out their charms essay, but Hermione seemed to have already finished it. She dug through he book bag, and sighed.

"I'll be right back." She said. "I need to go to-" "the library?" Harry and Ron finished for her in unison, before high-fiving each other. Hermione glared at them. "Ha ha, very funny." She said, stuffing the rest of her books back in her bag. "I have to get down their fast, so I can get the book I want before curfew."

"I'll come with you." Batman said suddenly. Hermione stopped, and looked at him, surprised, and Ron and Harry looked up from their essays. "What?" Hermione asked, thinking she had heard him wrong. "I'll come with you." Batman repeated. "I can get you there faster…and there's something I need to look up." "Ooooookay." Hermione said slowly. "Sure…you can come."

She slung her bag over her shoulder, and headed towards the portrait hole. Batman followed slowly. They stepped outside, and headed down the halls. "Dang!" Hermione whispered. "We don't have much time before curfew. We need to get there faster!" Batman thought about this, and smiled. "That can be arranged." He said, and with one graceful movement, he slipped out his grappling gun, grabbed Hermione around the waist, and rocketed up into the rafters.

Hermione shrieked, and starred at the now _very _far away ground with wide, fearful eyes. "It's alright." Batman said soothingly, seeing Hermione wasn't too fond of heights. "I got you." She nodded slowly, but didn't look too happy with arrangement. "Which way is the library?" He asked her, and Hermione pointed to the left. Bruce swung around the corner, carrying him and Hermione to the nearest rafter. "Which way now?" He asked and Hermione pointed to the right. They continued this way, swinging from hallway to hallway, and reached the library in record time.

Batman dropped to the ground, setting Hermione down lightly. Her knees buckled, and she stumbled, clutching Bruce's arm to steady herself. "You okay?" He asked, and she nodded shakingly, before taking a big breath, and walking into the library. Batman followed close behind in case she fell again.

Hermione slipped into the "M" section, and under the watchful eyes of the vulture-like librarian, Madam Pince, Bruce followed suit. Hermione watched him carefully, as he ran his finger down the spines of the books, reading their titles. _Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Creature's and their Uses, Magical Cleaning Supplies for House-hold Cleaning… _there! _Magical Objects and Artifacts. _Bruce took it off the shelf, and flipped it open.

Hermione looked at him quizzically. "What do you want _that _book for?" She asked him suspiciously. Batman didn't answer, as he ran his finger down the table of contents until he found what he was looking for.

Die Katze: Page 124

Bruce left the aisle, his finger marking the page, before setting it down on one of the library's tables. Hermione followed him, _Magical Cures and Remedies _clutched in her hands, and eyeing him suspiciously. She set her book down next to his, and glanced at the page he was on. Her eyes widened.

"So _that's _why you wanted to come to the library." She whispered, starring at the photo of the cat. "To find out more about that cat statue the woman stole." Bruce didn't answer. He was reading the pages, eyes narrowing the farther he got.

The Die Katze

_German for "the cat," the Die Katze is known to be a very powerful magical object. Very few of it's limits are known, though studies have shown that it's full potential very well might only be unleashed by a certain something or someone directly related to cats. The Egyptians believed that it only could be unlocked by the earthly version of the Greek God Bast, whose true magical identity, and source of power is still unknown. The statues curator, Albus Dumbledore, has_ _done multiple tests and studies on the cat, and has ranked it's magical ability at an eighth level, one of the highest rankings a magical object can obtain. Dumbledore was not able, however, to unlock the cat's power or find a way to control it. It's true origin and abilities are unknown, this mysterious object now rests at the London museum, waiting for it's secrets to be discovered, and the power unleashed._

Batman finished reading, and thought for a moment. Then he reached into the back of his boot, and pulled out a small notepad, and a pen, which he kept there in case none of his electronics were working.

He could hear Dick now. "Really Bruce? _Really? _God, you think of _everything_!" He smiled at the thought, and scrawled some notes on his notepad.

_8th level magical object_

_Unlocked by cat related things?_

_Curator: Dumbledore_

_True Origin: Unknown_

_True abilities: Unknown_

Hermione read his notes, and looked at him with growing suspicion, but said nothing. Suddenly, Madam Pince was there. "Out!" She screamed. "The library is closing! If you're checking out, checkout. Then leave!"

Hermione gathered up the books she had gotten, and went to checkout. Batman stuffed the notepad back into his boot, and put _Magical Objects and Artifacts _back on the shelf. Once they were out of the library, Hermione rounded on Batman.

"I know what you're up to." She said. "And I _should _tell Dumbledore." Batman narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. Hermione took a big breath. "But I'm not going to." She said. "I should, but I'm not going to because…because…I think I should give you a chance. To…help." She turned away, embarrassed. "Can we go now?" She asked quietly, her voice quivering. Batman silently took out his grappling gun, slipped his arm protectively and firmly around Hermione's waist, and flew upwards.

She didn't scream this time, but Batman could tell she barely held it in. Her face was white the whole trip, and when Batman sat her down in front of the portrait hole, she let out a shaky breath. Then she stood up solidly, and climbed through the portrait hole confidently. Batman thought he might have misjudged this young witch.

He followed Hermione through the hole, and found the Common Room deserted, Harry and Ron asleep with their books still open in their laps. Hermione smirked, before putting the books away, and pushing the to of them gently into a semi-comfortable position. Batman watched, and realized just how strong of a bond the three children had. When she was done, she looked at Batman.

"You should get some sleep." Bruce told her quietly. "It's late." Hermione nodded, and locked eyes with him. "You should get some sleep too." She said firmly. Batman shook his head. "Three sleepless nights is my limit." He said. "_Then _I'll get some sleep." "Bu you'll be sleep deprived." Hermione said stubbornly. "That's _my _problem." Batman countered. "Now go to bed." Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but realizing she wouldn't get anywhere, she closed it, and lay down.

There was a long silence, then "Hermione?" Hermione opened her eyes, and looked at Batman sleepily. "What?" "Thank you." Bruce said softly. Hermione looked at him quizzically. "For what?" She asked. "For giving me a chance." Bruce said, true meaning in his words.

There was a pause them… "You're…you're welcome." And then Hermione drifted off to sleep.

**(A/N: Ahhh. This was my dramatic Hermione/Batman bounding chapter, as you might have noticed. There's some with her, a little with Ron, and a lot with Harry, as you might have seen previously, and will defiantly see later on. This was by FAR the longest chapter I've ever written. Eighteen pages, 7, 931 words. Woo. My chapters usually range form 2,000 to 3,000 words, so this is different for me, and considered a good thing…I think. But don't expect them to be THIS long ALL the time. It really depends on the layout of the chapter. Please review, and tell me what you think, of course, and a special thanks to ALL my readers who put me on their alert and/or favorites list! This is my most favorited and alerted story, as well as my most popular by far, which makes me feel very loved. **** So thank you all!) **


	8. FOOD FIGHT!

(A/N: Wow. This is my longest, and my most popular fanfic! Over 4,000 hits, over 20 favs, 17 reviews, and a TON of subscriptions. I never really thought that many people would read, like, or even FIND this story. I didn't really think that many people would look in the Harry Potter/Batman X-over section of all places for a story, let alone become interested in this one and read it. So a giant thank you to ALL of you who have read, reviewed, and liked this story, and I give you a big thankful bowl of hugs and kisses for supporting me. I'm glad you all have enjoyed the story thus far, and I hope you enjoy this chapter even more! ENJOY! XD)

**4:45 A.M**

Hermione woke up to a rush of darkness. As her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light of the fire, Hermione was able to make out two odd shaped lumps on the couch and chairs around her. Ron and Harry, snoring away.

Sitting up, Hermione wondered what had woken her. It was very early in the morning, she reckoned. About four thirty or so. The common room was as empty and still as it had been when she had fallen asleep.

So what had woken her?

Then she felt it. The small, burning feeling on the back of her neck, making her hairs stand up along her spine. Someone was watching her.

Hermione spun around, but all there was was a collection of shadows in the corner. But the feeling was still there, and Hermione was sure of it now. Someone was watching her. She narrowed her eyes, and suddenly she saw it. A dark, barely visibly silhouette of a person, with tiny, pupiless white eyes starring back at her. When she concentrated hard, she could hear his shallow breathing, so quiet she could have easily mistaken it for the wind.

Batman.

Secretly, Hermione was impressed by his stealth skills. She had starred right at the muggle crime fighter, but hadn't seen him. His cape blended into the shadows as if it had been woven exclusively from them, and he was so still he could have easily passed for a statue. She wondered curiously if he had been standing there, in the same position, since the moment she had fallen asleep after they had returned from the library. From what little she knew of the masked man, Hermione had a feeling he had been.

She starred at him for a long time, willing him to speak, or at least blink once. But he never moved, never twitched an eyelash. It was so creepy it was fascinating.

Deciding it would be best to ignore the Caped Crusader, Hermione realized she was never going to be able to fall back to sleep now. So she got up from her comfortable, makeshift bed on the couch and headed up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. She slipped into the first years' room, and tiptoed over to her trunk. She quietly picked out a fresh school uniform to replace the smelly wrinkled one she was wearing, and as soundlessly as possible, quickly changed. She still made what sounded like way too much noise, and she wished she could be as soundless and stealthily as Batman had been. She might not still completely trust the stranger, and she still viewed him as incredibly creepy, but she could definitely learn a few useful tricks from him.

Once she had finished changing, Hermione glanced at her watch. Five o'clock. Breakfast began at six thirty, so she still had some time to kill. She sat at the end of her bed thoughtfully. No one was really awake except her and Batman, and no matter which way she pictured it, she couldn't see herself striking up a friendly conversation with him. So instead, she did what she always did when there was nothing for her to do. She opened her trunk, picked out a good, thick book, went back down to the Common Room, and settled into an arm chair for some nice, quiet reading time.

**Earlier: 11: 45 P.M**

Batman was having a very uneventful night. Once Hermione had drifted off to sleep, Bruce had tried to busy himself with work. Sharpening his Batarangs, concocting serums and antidotes, and most importantly, pondering over his current Catwoman problem, reviewing his newfound information on the cat statue, and figuring out what he was going to do next.

None of them really got him anywhere. His Batarangs were already razor sharp, he had no more antidotes or serums that needed making, and no matter which was he looked at it, Bruce could see no way he could move forward on his case in his current position. He had already extracted the information he needed from Hogwarts, and his next step would be to go and hunt down Catwoman and see what this statue was really capable of with his own eyes before he could act. Neither of which he could do while trapped within the magical boundaries of the castle.

Stuck and frustrated, Bruce fumed over Dumbledore and McGonagall's refusal to let him leave and enter Hogwarts as he pleased. He realized this was because they didn't trust him, and Batman knew exactly why they felt that way. But he was furious that they refused to see past that and into the _real _problem. They needed the Die Katze back, and Bruce needed to stop Catwoman. They both needed to stop her to get what they wanted, and both of the professors knew very well that they wouldn't be able to do it without Batman's knowledge and skill. They needed him, and they knew it.

But keeping Batman trapped here was not going to get them anywhere.

Bruce kept telling himself to be patient, that Dumbledore would have to give in to Batman's will eventually if they wanted any hope at all at taking on Selina, now that she was powered by a mystical statue. But his fury overruled his reasoning, and he wanted desperately to kick something, to take his frustration out on a chair with a swift Judo roundhouse.

Forcing himself to remain calm, Batman glanced at Harry. The eleven-year-old wizard look so frail and small on the couch, his eyes closed and his chest rising and falling gently with his breathing. All the frustration and anger that had been locked up inside of Bruce evaporated at the sight, and was replaced by a strong feeling that he hadn't felt since he had taken Dick in after his parents had been murdered at the circus. His shook his head, telling himself that he was being stupid, feeling that way for a boy he barely even knew. But he couldn't shake the feeling, couldn't shake the _connection _he felt towards the kid who's parents had been murdered right before his eyes just as his own had been shot down, taking the future and childhood he might have had and putting it through a paper shredder.

He couldn't shake that. He couldn't change that. And no amount of denying it would make it go away.

Batman watched Harry sleep for a few more seconds before melting back into the shadows of one of the corners and letting himself fall into a meditation he had learned in his travels. It was as close to sleeping that he was going to get, and he would still be completely alert and awake, even thought his was floating just between the divider of consciousness and sleep. The slightest noise would awake him, but for now, he could relax.

**4:40 A.M**

Batman was jolted out of his trance what felt like only a few minutes later, though it had been hours. Hermione had stirred on the couch, and her eyes fluttered open for a moment, before closing again. Bruce watched her, knowing she would probably wake again soon. He had always found it interesting how different people look when they sleep. Hermione looked very peaceful on the couch, her hair hanging off the side in frizzy tangles, her shoulders slumped in relaxation. She looked so much different than she did when she was awake. Right now, she was calm and relaxed. It seemed that whenever she was awake, she was always tense, her shoulders taut, as if she expected there to be an emergency at any moment, or that she might be late for class. Bruce thought he liked the nighttime Hermione better than the daytime Hermione.

As he watched her, she started to stir again, her bushy hair making soft shushing noises on the pillow. She sat up, her sleepy eyes becoming alert as she looked at the sleeping forms of Ron and Harry. Then her eyes swept the room, and Bruce staid very still, slowing his breathing and using a technique he very often used to become almost completely invisible. Hermione's eyes skipped right over him, but she still looked uneasy, as if she knew there was something she was missing. She squinted at the corner that Batman was hidden in, and suddenly her eyes widened. She'd seen him.

Bruce locked eyes with her, still keeping himself impossibly still. He was mildly impressed that she'd seen him, but he was concentrating more on her reaction. She seemed only a little bit surprised, her shock quickly ebbing away into curiosity. The starred at each other for a long moment, before she turned away, and left to climb one of the staircases. She came back down not long after, fully dressed, and with a heavy book tucked under her arm. She sat down in an armchair, and the rest of time until daylight went by in silence.

**6:21 A.M**

Ron awoke to the tiniest hint of sunlight drifting through his eyelids. _Is it really morning already? _He thought to himself, sitting up and letting out a giant yawn. Harry was still asleep on the chair next to him, and Hermione was curled up in another, reading…of course. _There's something wrong with that girl… _He thought to himself, running his hand through his mess of red hair and smiling at Hermione. She looked at him, rolled her eyes, and went back to her book.

Ron stood up, and then looked down. He was still wearing his uniform from yesterday, which was now wrinkled and dirty from sleeping on it. _Dang! _Ron cursed to himself. _This was my last clean outfit! _Grumbling to himself, Ron glanced at his watch. 6:27. Almost time for breakfast. "We need to go down to breakfast soon." He told Hermione. She grunted in reply, not taking her eyes off her book. He waited. She said nothing. "Fine. Don't listen to me." He muttered, turning to shake Harry awake. "Hey mate!" He said into his friend's ear when Harry groaned and rolled over in protest. "We need to get down to breakfast!" Harry yawned and sat up. "I feel like I just went to bed…" He mumbled. "Your not the only one." Ron said knowingly. "But I don't want to see McGonagall's face again if were late for breakfast."

Trying to straighten out his uniform as best he could, Ron glanced around the Common Room as students slowly started to appear, tiredly, from their dorms. He didn't see Batman anywhere. "Where's Batman?" He asked Hermione. She shrugged. "I dunno." She mumbled, but Ron caught her give a quick sideways glance at the shadows to their left. He followed her gaze and his heart skipped a beat. Batman was standing in the shadows of one of the corners, so still and so silent, Ron had completely missed him. It was like Batman could see Ron, but Ron couldn't see him. A one-way window. The thought was chilling…but also kind of cool. He needed to ask Batman how he turned himself practically invisible like that!

Feeling a little sheepish for starring at Batman like he was some sort of freak display, Ron attempted conversation. "Um…hi!" He said, aiming a small, awkward wave in Batman's direction.

Batman didn't move.

"Uh…Good Morning?" Ron tried, giving the silent crime fighter a small smile.

Batman didn't respond, simply watching Ron with a blank expression.

Determined to talk to his newfound idol, Ron tried a different approach. "Uh, are you going down to breakfast?" He asked, realizing with a jolt that it sounded like he was talking to himself. He willed Batman to say something. People were starting to stare.

But Batman still didn't answer, standing so still and unmoving that Ron wouldn't be surprised that if he walked up to him, right now, and poked him in the shoulder, he would find it was not Batman at all, but a statue carved to resemble him.

It was only the shallow, quiet sound of Batman's light breaths that stopped Ron from trying.

He waited a moment longer, but Batman didn't even blink. Talking to Batman was like talking to a brick wall.

Ron glanced at his watch again. Two minutes till 6:30. His stomach growled impatiently. "I'm going to breakfast." He declared to Harry and Hermione. "You two coming?" "In a moment." Hermione mumbled, her eyes fixed on her book. "Mmmmhmmm…" Harry murmured, still half asleep.

Ron waited, but when neither of them moved, he grew impatient. "Fine." He said finally. "I'll meet you there."

Then he hurried through the portrait hole and was gone.

**6:24 A.M**

Harry awoke to Ron shaking him awake, his urgent voice booming in Harry's ear. "Hey mate!" His best friend told him. "We need to go down to breakfast soon!" Harry groaned in response and rolled over. He didn't care about breakfast. He just wanted to go back to sleep.

After a moment, Ron left him alone. He probably didn't think Harry was worth waiting for, if it meant he might miss a chance to stuff himself. Ron was always hungry, and Harry had a feeling he wouldn't last a day in the Dursleys' household. Not with his stomach.

His face buried in his pillow to block out the light, Harry tried to go back to sleep, but it was impossible now. He was having such a wonderful dream, he remembered…something about him running on top of rooftops in a moonlit city…alongside someone… But the harder he tried to recollect his dream, the faster the details drifted away. He rolled on his back and opened his eyes. The whole world was blurry. "I'm going to breakfast." Harry heard Ron say. "You two coming?" "In a moment." He heard Hermione mumble. "Mmmmhmmm." Was all Harry managed to say. There was a pause, then, "Fine. I'll meet you there." He heard footsteps, and figured Ron had left for breakfast.

Sighing, Harry forced himself to sit up. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and squinted in the harsh light. He fished for his glasses, and quickly stuffed them on. He gave a huge yawn before standing. "Mornin'" He greeted Hermione, who was curled up in a chair, reading a book. "Mornin'" She responded tiredly, her sleepy eyes glued to her page. He wondered how much sleep she had gotten.

Flattening his wrinkled school uniform he had fallen asleep on, Harry watched the crowded Common Room. Gryffindor's milled about, chatting about schoolwork, practicing spells, and eating pieces of toast and pumpkin juice they had nicked from the Great Hall. He waved at Neville, who was holding Trevor the toad tightly between his hands as he walked by, and smiled at the retreating backs of the Weasley twins, who were hiding something lumpy inside their robes. He wondered what Batman made of this.

Batman. Where was he? Looking around, Harry didn't see him right away. Then a small beam of sunlight coming from one of the windows caught the triangular edge of black fabric, and Harry spotted him, half hidden in the protective shadows. He hesitated, before walking up to him.

"Hi." He said lamely, looking at his shoes. There was a pause, then, "Hi." Harry looked up, and saw that Batman was watching him closely, interestingly. Like he was a challenging math problem that needed solving. For some weird reason, Harry felt suddenly calm and relaxed. The awkwardness vanished the moment Batman had spoke. "Did you sleep at _all _last night?" Harry asked him, a slightly accusing note in his voice. There was a short silence, then, "No." Harry frowned. "You have to sleep _some _time you know." He said. "Maybe I will…" Batman said slowly. "Eventually."

It went on like that for a good five or ten minutes. Harry asking a question, and Batman giving a relatively short answer. Hermione was watching them suspiciously from the corner of her eye, but she said nothing. Slowly, the Common Room emptied, the students finally finding their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, and only Harry, Hermione, and Batman were left in the room.

Hermione put down her book, and walked over to them. "We should probably go down to breakfast." She said. "We have to eat _something _before our first class." "Right." Harry agreed, nodding. He glanced at Batman. "You coming?" Batman shook his head. Harry's brow furrowed. "Why not?" He asked. "Don't tell me you don't _eat _either." "McGonagall said I could have my meals delivered to the Common Room." Batman said plainly. Harry frowned. 'Don't you get lonely?" He asked. It was an honest question, and the truth was Batman really did miss the company of another living thing.

Harry seemed to take Bruce's silence as a yes. "Come down to breakfast with us." He coxed, tugging on the hem of Batman's cape lightly. "It's not so bad." Bruce begged to differ. No matter which way he looked at it, he could not see himself, decked out in his Batman uniform, sitting at a table with a bunch of teenagers, chatting and eating a piece of toast. It was just plain weird and unnatural.

But no matter how hard he tried, Batman couldn't say no to those piercing green eyes.

"Fine." He growled, and Harry's face lit up like a Christmas tree. Hermione looked less than thrilled, but she said nothing. She _had _promised to give Batman a chance.

The odd little trio slipped through the portrait hole, and headed down the moving staircases towards the Great Hall. As the neared the double doors, Batman's unease mounted, but there was no backing down now. Harry and Hermione entered without hesitation, but Batman hovered at the threshold. Harry noticed, and looked back. "It's okay, you know." He said. "Your not banned from the Great Hall or anything." Bruce hesitated for a moment longer, before entering the hall, following Harry and Hermione to one of the four diagonal tables. Batman could see Ron seated at it, gorging himself with food.

As they past the other tables, a hush fell over the cluster of students. Batman could feel thousands of eyes boring into his back, and fierce whispering broke out among the young witches and wizards. Even the teachers, who were seated at a horizontal table at the front of the hall, were starring. Batman ignored them all, and took a seat between Harry and Ron, Hermione sitting on Harry's other side. Ron didn't seemed to notice the starring or the whispering, simply greeting the three of them with a hasty "Mornin'." before stuffing three pieces of buttered toast in his mouth, and taking a long swig of marmalade. But Batman was painfully aware that the whole Gryffindor table had stopped eating, craning their necks to get a good look at the visitor dressed as a bat.

Hermione looked equally unnerved, but Harry seemed perfectly happy. "You get use to it." He told Batman, taking a slice of orange from one of the overflowing bowls of fruit on the table. "This is the first time the haven't been craning their necks to get a good look at _me_." He flattened his bangs absentmindedly, covering the lightning scar on his forehead. "I think I like being invisible better than being gawked at." He whispered, and Batman nodded in agreement. He wished that he could simply slip away into the shadows right now, slink away from all the prying eyes. But he had told Harry he would come to breakfast, and he wasn't going to back down from the challenge.

Bruce ate in silence, nibbling on a small piece of toast, and working his way through a bunch of breakfast foods that Batman didn't even knew existed. He was famished, but he forced himself to eat what he wanted in small, miniscule portions. He didn't want it to look like he really _had _to eat. He had _chose _to have breakfast, not forced to. It was a small sense of rep, but it was all Batman needed. He wanted to have at least a little sense that he had control of _something _in this labyrinth of magic and surprises. Nothing was based on scientific _fact _here, and nothing could be completely calculated or expected in advance. That was what Bruce hated about magic in the first place. It was unpredictable.

And Batman liked his foes to be _predictable_. Most villains always followed a pattern, and that's how Batman was able to trap and outsmart them. Here, in this place, Bruce was out of his comfort zone, thrown into an arena with a species he was unfamiliar with. He still could outsmart them; impress them with his agility, material arts, detective skills, stealth, and fancy gadgets and tricks. But he was still uncomfortable.

Finished with his slowly eaten breakfast, Batman found his stomach to be satisfied, and he had been able to do it without losing his rep of being a human, a _muggle, _who never slept, and rarely ate. Batman had eaten very little compared to Harry and Hermione, and _nothing _compared to Ron, but it was plenty enough to satisfy Bruce's stomach. He was trained for starvation, _days _without food or drink. This was a luxury compared to that.

Harry finished eating soon after, and Hermione propped open her book against her marmalade glass. Ron continued to eat. "McGonagall's coming around with our schedules." Harry noted, nodding in the direction of the teachers' table. Batman turned in time to see the Transfiguration teacher rise from her seat, a stack of papers in her hands. She walked up and down the rows of tables, handing out sheets to certain people from one of seven stacks of papers, kept afloat by her wand. When she reached Batman, she paused, studying him. She hesitated, before handing him a sheet from the first pile. It was a new class schedule. "I wasn't aware you were joining us for meals." She said suspiciously, searching Batman's masked face for answers that she couldn't find in the blank expression he wore.

Batman didn't respond, but Harry saved him. "He changed his mind." He told the professor. Minerva held Batman's gaze a moment longer, before continuing her rounds. "Thanks." Bruce told Harry gruffly. Harry smiled. "No problem." They locked eyes for a moment, before Harry looked away, sheepishly, to read his schedule. Batman looked away too, speed reading the white slip of paper, but finding no difference than the one from yesterday. But there must have been something, because Ron bursted into a flurry of excitement, launching into a fast-paced, excited conversation with Harry. "Flying lessons!" He said, bouncing up and down with excitement. "We get to learn how to fly a broomstick! I learned a little bit from Fred and George, and Charlie—he was an _awesome _Qudditch player—but not much. This is going to be great!"

"Yeah." Harry said sarcastically. "Great. Flying lessons with the Slytherins. Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy." Ron gaped at him. "What?" Harry nodded towards the schedule. "Flying lessons. Right after lunch in the courtyard." He said. "With the Slytherins." Ron re-read his schedule and cursed. "Aw man!" He grumbled. "That just ruins everything." Harry pursed her lips. "Typical." He said darkly.

The morning went by fairly fast. Harry, Ron and Hermione went from class to class, and Batman tailed behind. He didn't pay much attention to what they were studying, his mind focused solely on the upcoming flying lesson. He hoped he wouldn't have to participate. The word "broomstick" doesn't strike a very inspiring image. He imagined himself, cape flying, clutching onto the thin piece of wood as it catapulted him around wildly, trying to buck him off and steering him out of control. Bruce didn't mind heights. But he _did _mind flying magical objects that he may or may not be able to control.

Classes started and ended, and soon the Gryffindor's gathered in one of Hogwarts' grassy courtyards, rows of spindly broomsticks lying motionless in the afternoon sun. Batman's eyes narrowed as he spotted the blond boy—Malfoy—in the sea of red and green trimmed school robes. He didn't like having this lesson with the Slytherins' just as much as Harry and Ron. That eleven-year-old snake was giving him a bad vibe, and he didn't like it. Batman glanced at Hermione. She'd looked kind of pale ever since they'd received their schedules that morning. Now she was a sickly shade of green, and was staring at the rows of broomsticks nervously. "You okay?" Batman asked her. "Fine." She said shakily. "I'm fine."

Batman decided not to push it.

Harry was chatting with Ron behind him, excited about the lesson despite the Slytherin house presence and Harry's nervousness about messing up.

"What do you think Madam Hooch will make us do?" Ron was asking. "Do flips? Throw a Quaffle around? Fly through hoops?" Harry shook his head. "I don't know." He said. "But Qudditch sounds awesome. I want to do well so I can try out for the team." "First years can't try out for the Qudditch team mate." Ron said sadly. "School rule. But I've done some flying with Charlie, and it's _wicked. _Trust me, you'll love it." "Yeah." Harry said wistfully. "If I don't fall off on my first try." "Aw, you'll do find mate." Ron assured him, patting his shoulder. "We can both suck together." Then the two of them launched back into a fast-paced conversation about this…Qudditch.

Batman turned to the two of them, waiting in silence until the two wizards became aware of his presence. The two stopped talking abruptly, staring at the Dark Knight uncomfortably. "Um…what?" Ron asked rudely. Harry elbowed him, but Bruce ignored Ron's rudeness. "What's Qudditch?" He asked them, interest sparked in his mind. Whatever "Qudditch" was, he had a feeling it had something to do with the flying broomsticks. A form of wizard fighting techniques maybe?

Ron stared at the crime fighter like he was crazy. "You've never heard of _Qudditch_?" He exclaimed, aghast. Harry rolled his eyes. "Not _everyone _grew up in a Wizarding family Ron." He told his friend, before turning to Batman. "I only first heard of it about a month ago myself." He explained. "Qudditch is like the big Wizarding sport. It's played on broomsticks, and there's these big three rings on either side…" He went on into the details, Ron helping him out. Batman was intrigued. A sport, played on broomsticks. It wasn't a fighting technique at all. It was a game. Entertainment.

"…very much like football." Harry was saying. "Um, I mean like soccer. That's what you call it in America, right?" Batman nodded. "Is this a professional sport?" He asked. "Oh yeah!" Ron said enthusiastically. "What we have here is only a school league. But there's a pro league too. My team is the Cuddly Cannons…they're they under dogs. Haven't made it to the Qudditch World Cup in years. But I still-" "Harry, Ron!" A voice interrupted Ron, and the tiny form of Neville Longbottom came rushing towards them, face flushed.

"What is it Neville?" Harry said, instantly alert. "Look at what Gran sent me!" Neville said excitedly, holding up a small, glass ball. White mist flowed inside it. Batman looked at it curiously, but he had no idea what it was. Harry looked equally baffled, but Ron gasped, staring at the globe. "Neville, you got a Remebrall!" He said excitedly. "Those are _really _rare!" Neville beamed. "It came in during lunch." He said proudly. "What's a Remebrall?" Harry asked, voicing Batman's confusion. "It's a magical object." Neville explained. "If I've forgot something the mist will turn—" He cut off as the mist turned from white to a deep blood red. "—red." He finished, and groaned. "You forgot something." Hermione said, voicing the obvious. She had been listening to them from a little ways off. "I know." Neville said. "The problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten!"

At that moment, a harsh sound of a whistle cut through the warm air. "Alright everyone, listen up!" A female voice yelled, reminding Batman of a training officer in an Army Boot Camp. A woman with spiky gray hair and dark robes stood in front of the group, a silver whistle hanging from her neck. "I am Madam Hooch," the woman introduced herself, nodding at them and studding the group with piercing silver eyes. She looked like a woman who never missed a trick. "I will be your flying inspector. Today will be the starters—how to use a broom. You'll learn how to properly mount a broom, and then we will get into the actual flying." Batman heard a snort behind him. "This'll be _easy._" He heard the unmistakable voice of Draco Malfoy snicker. "I've been flying brooms around my mansion for _years_. I almost ran into one of those Muggle-helicpotie thingies. Dad was _furious, _but I was too quick. Those stupid Muggles never even knew I was there!"

Batman narrowed his eyes in disgust. He was liking this boy less and less, and he saw his own dislike mirrored on the dark faces of Harry and Ron. "Alright everyone!" Madam Hooch yelled suddenly, finished with her introduction. "Everyone go and pick a broom!" The pack of wizards and witches disbanded into a flurry of students, as the first years ran to claim a broomstick. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville all picked brooms side by side, and Malfoy had picked one five brooms over, his meaty cronies Crabbe and Goyle on either side. Batman lagged behind, unsure if he was supposed to participate and find a broom as well, or simply watch. He hoped it would turn out to be the latter.

Madam Hooch seemed to notice him for the first time, giving him a one over with her piercing eyes. "Ah." She said to him, as if she had just realized something. "You must be that Bat-man person that everyone's been talking about." She studied him for a moment, than glanced back at the rows of brooms. There were a few extra spots, and Batman's heart sank. "You may find a broomstick as well." Hooch told him, nodding at the group. Bruce hesitated for a moment, before taking his place by one of the open brooms. The students around him scooted away from him nervously.

"Okay everyone!" Madam Hooch declared, clapping her hands. "Here's what you do. First, hold out your hand over your broom." The students obliged, and Batman copied them, raising his gloved hand above the ancient broomstick. (It was rather old, with twigs sticking out in weird angles.) "Good." Madam Hooch said. "Now yell 'Up'." Batman looked at her like she was crazy, but the students were trying it, yelling the two-letter word forcefully at their brooms. Batman's eyes widened as she saw Harry's broom fly instantly into his hands. The rest of the class's brooms simply rolled around on the grass.

Batman looked at his broom. It seemed so silly to talk to a broomstick, so he pretended it was Robin, who had fallen under the weight of the barbell Batman had given him for training. "UP." He said forcefully. To his surprise, the broom obliged, zooming into Batman's outstretched hands obediently. Madam Hooch stared him suspiciously. "Very good…" She said slowly, clearly uneasy that a "muggle" had been able to master the move on his first try. "You must have had a very strong and confident-sounding voice to make it come up so…easily." Batman narrowed his eyes, wondering if there was more to her words than met the eye, but Madam Hooch had already moved on.

One by one, brooms started to fly into people's hands. It seemed Batman and Harry were the only ones who had been able to control theirs on their first try. "Good." Madam Hooch said, as the last few brooms floated into hands. "Lets mount them now, shall we?" She showed them the proper mounting technique, showing everyone how not to slip off the end, and everyone did their best to copy her. She then walked around correcting people's grips and telling what they needed to fix. Batman smirked when Madam Hooch told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years, and he saw Ron and Harry suppressing snorts. As Madam Hooch neared Bruce, he carefully tucked his long black cape behind him.

When she reached him, she looked over his stance carefully. She checked his grip, his position on the broom, and told him to lean forward. He did, keeping his back in perfect alignment. Madam Hooch nodded, clearly impressed. "This _is _your first time on a broom?" She asked. Batman nodded. Hooch looked over his position one more time. "Well, then you must be a natural. Your mount is perfect." Batman's eyes widened, and he caught startled glanced from Harry, Ron and Hermione, and a venomous glare from Malfoy. Madam Hooch finished her rounds, and then regained her position at the front of the class.

"When I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard." She instructed everyone, her silver whistle in her hand. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning slightly. On my whistle—three—two—" But before she reached one, a wayward figure rose above the group, wobbling violently on the broomstick.

Neville.

"Come back, boy!" Madam Hooch yelled, but frightened Neville, not in control at all, was rising higher and higher. Instinct taking over, Batman abandoned his broom and streaked under the flying eleven-year-old. Neville was whimpering now, fear shinning in his eyes. He was clearly terrified of heights. Batman assessed the situation. Neville was slowly gaining altitude, and Bruce didn't think he'd be able to stay on the broom much longer. He needed to act. Fast.

Acting on impulse, Batman grabbed his grappling gun from his utility belt. Aiming it at a gargoyle jutting out from the side of the castle, Batman catapulted upward, landing with a well-practiced crouch on the odd-shaped statue. His was about a foot or so below Neville. He heard the students gasp below him, but he ignored it. He needed to concentrate. _"It's just like any other normal save in Gotham. It's just like any normal save…_ He told himself, but it surely wasn't. If Bruce jumped onto the broomstick, his weight combined with Neville's would send them both flying. He needed to find another way to get Neville down…

He heard a scream from the students below. Neville was starting to tip. As if in slow motion, his tiny body fell off the broom, sending him screaming toward the looming ground below. Batman's muscles flexed and he threw himself off the gargoyle, intercepting Neville in midair and covering him protectively in his black cape. He landed on the grass hard, and he cringed when he still heard a sickening crack of a bone breaking. He expected to fell the dull pain of a broken bone, a pain he was very familiar with. But he felt nothing. With a jolt, he realized it must have been Neville.

Unwrapping the boy from his flowing cape, Batman set Neville down gingerly on the ground. The boy was whimpering, tears running down his pudgy face as he clutched his wrist. Madam Hooch rushed to his side. Batman gently pulled Neville's other hand away from the injured one. "It's all right." He assured the weeping boy, keeping his voice calm and soothing. "I need to take a look at it to see if it's broken." He gingerly felt the bone of Neville's wrist. Neville flinched, but Batman had already completed his inspection. "His wrist is broken." He told Madam Hooch. "He doesn't seem to have any major injuries beside that, but he might be a little bit bruised in the morning. Still, you should take him to the hospital wing to get his wrist in a splint." Madam Hooch nodded, looking at Batman carefully. "Thank you." She said slowly. "If you hadn't caught him, he might have had a much worse injury than simply a broken wrist." Batman nodded in response, and helped the flying instructor pick up the injured boy so she could carry him to the hospital wing.

"None of you move while I take this boy to the hospital wing!" Madam Hooch yelled at the shocked class. "You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say Qudditch." She turned to Batman. "Keep an eye on them, will you?" She asked him. "I want to make sure things don't get out of hand." Batman nodded, and Madam Hooch disappeared into the castle.

No sooner was she out of earshot that Malfoy burst into laughter. "Did you see his face, the great lump?" He chortled, launching the other Slytherins into a fit of laughter. Batman was about to take charge when a Gryffindor girl spoke up. "Shut up, Malfoy." She snapped. "Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" A Slytherin girl sneered. "Never thought _you'd _like fat little crying babies, Parvati." Batman opened his mouth angrily, ready to break up the argument when his was interrupted by a cry from Malfoy.

"Look!" He said, darting out from his position, clutching his broom and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing that Longbottom's gran sent him." Batman's eyes narrowed as he saw the Remebrall glittering in the sun in Malfoy's palm. Before Batman could react, a figure stepped out from the crowd. "Give it here, Malfoy." Harry said quietly. Malfoy sneered at Harry. "I'll think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find." He said. "How about—up a tree?" "Give it _here_!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had already hopped onto his broom and took to the air. "Come and get it, Potter!" The blond boy jeered from the treetops.

Harry clutched his broom and glanced at Batman. Batman hesitated before nodding slowly. He'd already had his save-of-the-day. Now it was _Harry's_ turn. "_No!_" Hermione shouted, obviously guessing Harry's intentions. "Madam Hooch told us not to move—you'll get us all into trouble." Harry ignored it. Feeling like he was born to do this, Harry mounted his broom and took to the air. It felt wonderful, the wind whipping in his face, his robes billowing out behind him, his broom waiting to move at the slightest curve he made. He pulled his broom into a sharp upward movement, bringing himself level with Malfoy. He heard Ron whoop below him.

Draco looked stunned. "Give it here." Harry yelled forcefully. "Or I'll knock you off your broom!" "Oh yeah?" Malfoy sneered, attempting to cover his surprise with a sneer but failing. He was nervous. Harry, somehow, knew what to do. He could _feel _it somehow. He leaned forward, gripping the broom handle firmly, and shot towards Draco. Malfoy was barely able to twist out of the way of Harry's shooting broom. Harry whirled his broom back around expertly, face to face with Malfoy. "No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy." Harry told him. Malfoy seemed to have realized the dame thing. "Catch it if you can, then!" He yelled, and chucked the Remebrall as far as he could.

It was as if Harry was seeing it through slow motion. The little glass ball arched into the air, glinting in the sun, and then, as the force of gravity acted on it, it started to fall. He leaned forward on the broom, pointing the old handle down, pushing himself into a bullet of speed, arching into a steep dive. He focused solely on the ball. Nothing existed but him—and the ball. The wind whistled in his ears, the ball getting closer and closer as he picked up speed—along with the ground. Then, a foot from the ground, his fingers closed around the cool glass, and he pulled up hard on the handle with one hand, pulling the broom level enough for him to topple off and safely onto the soft green grass, the Rembrall clutched tightly in his hand.

All the Gryffindor's cheered as Harry sat up, holding the Rembrall up triumphantly. He glanced at Batman. As smile played on the Dark Knight's lips, and he nodded in congratulations. Harry beamed, basking not in his glorious save, but in Batman's approval. For some reason, Batman's trust was more important than showing up Malfoy.

But the glory was short lived.

"HARRY POTTER!" The yell was crisp and strict, a voice that both Harry and Batman knew well. McGonagall. Harry turned to see the Transfiguration teacher running toward him, her face flushed. "_Never—_" She whispered. "—In all my time all my Hogwarts…" She seemed speechless. Her eyes flashed. "How _dare _you—" She managed. "Might have broken you neck…" "It wasn't his fault Professor—" The Gryffindor girl that spoke up against Malfoy before tried. "Be quiet, Miss Patil!" McGonagall cut her off. "But Malfoy—" Ron tried. "That's _enough, _Mr. Weasley." McGonagall interrupted. She turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter," She said, "Follow me. Now." Harry bit his lip, getting up to follow McGonagall, trying his best to ignore Malfoy and the Slytherins snickers.

McGonagall turned to find her path blocked by Batman. "Mr. Batman, get out of my way." She said, annoyed, trying to get around the muscular crime fighter. Batman moved to intercept her. "I'm going with you." He said fiercely. McGonagall knitted her eyebrows. "Preposterous." She said. "I'm taking Harry alone. Now get out of my—" Batman took a step closer. "I'm-going-_with-_you." Batman growled. Minerva looked into his masked face, and decided not to argue. "Fine." She said. "You can come. Do you mind?" Batman stepped out of the way, and McGonagall swept past. "This way, you two." She said. Batman and Harry followed.

Harry glanced at Batman, giving him a look that said: _"We're in for it." _Batman said nothing, but his silence said it all: _"I know." _ The followed McGonagall up the stairs and through the various hallways in silence, Harry's dread mounting with each step. He wondered if Batman would accept him as his apprentice after he was expelled. Use his magical abilities to help Batman fight crime in the U.S. That wouldn't be so bad, would it?

They reached a doorway that Batman recognized at the Charms classroom. Harry looked at him, bewildered. What were they doing here? McGonagall poked her head into the classroom. "Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?" She asked. Flitwick must have agreed, because a second later a boy walked out, a burly, well-built fifth year. He looked at Harry with interest, and regarded Batman with suspicion. "Potter, this is Oliver Wood." McGonagall introduced the boy. She turned to Oliver, suddenly excited. "Wood—I've found you a Seeker." Oliver's eyes bugged. "Are you serious Professor?" He asked. "Absolutely." McGonagall said firmly. "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?" Harry nodded, still thoroughly confused. Did this mean he wasn't going to be expelled?

"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive." Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it." Oliver looked like Christmas had come early. "Ever seen a game of Qudditch Potter?" He asked excitedly. "Wood's Captain of the Gryffindor Qudditch team." Minerva explained. "He's just the build for a Seeker too." Wood said, circling Harry, and inspecting him. "Light—speedy—we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor. A Nimbus Two Thousand or a Clean Sweep Seven I say." "I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can bend the first-year rule a little bit. Heaven's knows, we'll have a better team than last year. _Flattened _by Slytherin. I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks…" Professor McGonagall looked sternly at Harry again. "I want you training hard, Potter, or I may have to change my mind about punishing you." A small smiled played on her lips. "Your father would be proud." She said. "He was an excellent Qudditch player himself."

Harry's mouth fell into a big O, and he glanced at Batman. A small smile formed on his masked face. "Congratulations." He said softly.

After the meeting with Wood, Professor McGonagall had shooed the two of them off to dinner. Harry was greeted at the Gryffindor table with a flurry of questions on what Professor McGonagall had said to him. Harry refused to tell anyone but Ron and Hermione what happened, since Wood had specifically told him not to. He wanted Harry to be the team's "secret weapon." "_Seeker_!" Ron whispered in awe. "But first years _never _make the house team! You must be the youngest player in—" "A century." Harry finished excitedly. "Wood told me. I can't believe it!" As Ron and Harry whispered about the news in undertone, two identical red heads bobbed over to them.

"Congratulations Harry!" Fred said brightly, causing Harry to whip around to face Ron's older brothers. "Wood just told us!" George added. "Fred and George are on the team too." Ron explained. "Beaters." "Our job is to make sure _you _don't get bloodied up to much." Fred said cheerfully. "Rough game Qudditch." George said happily, as if he were discussing the weather, not a dangerous game played hundreds of feet in the air. "Of course, no ones died in years. But one student _did _disappear though…" "Ah, don't worry about it." Fred joked. "He showed up again after a month or two." For the first time, Harry started to look a little nervous. "See you at the first practice." Fred and George said in unison, and then went to go sit with Lee Jordan, who hurriedly started to describe a new secret passageway he found out of the school to the mischief-making twins.

Ron seemed to have noticed Harry's pale expression. "Aw don't listen to them Harry." He assured his friend. "Qudditch is great!" Harry nodded, but he didn't look as sure of himself as he did before.

Batman, listening in on the conversation, noted Harry's sudden unease at Fred and George's words. He realized Qudditch _could _possibly be incredible dangerous, and Harry could get hurt.

Feeling like someone was watching him, Batman realized that Harry was staring at him. "Will you come to the game?" Harry asked Bruce quietly. Ron was busy talking to Dean, and was paying no attention to them. Batman hesitated. "Of course." He said finally. Harry smiled, relieved. He hesitated a moment, as if he wanted to say something more. "What is it?" Bruce urged him. Harry met his eyes. "Will you save me if I fall?" He whispered, so softly Batman could barely hear him. Bruce felt a sense of protectiveness come over him, and he smiled warmly at Harry. "Of course." He said softly. "Saving people is what I do." Harry grinned at him, staring at him with a warmth in his eyes that Batman hadn't seen before. Weirdly, he felt the same warmth when he looked at Harry. A sense of pride and love washing over him whenever he saw Harry do well. _You're being silly! _He scolded himself silently, but his thoughts couldn't seem to travel all the way to his heart. He was developing feelings for this young wizard, and it scared him.

But before Bruce could force himself to look away, he was saved by the arrival of a pale-faced blond boy. Malfoy. "Having a last meal, Potter?" The Slytherin boy sneered. "When are you getting on the train back to the Muggles?" "You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you." Harry shot back coolly. "Oh yeah?" Draco challenged him. "Whatcha going to _do _about it." "Oh nothing." Harry said casually, his spoon heaped high with mashed potatoes halfway to his mouth. "Just _this!_"

SPLAT! Malfoy sputtered as a fluffy white substance hit him full in the face.

Harry smirked triumphantly, his now-empty spoon clutched in his hand.

Silence filled the whole hall. All eyes were on the two boys. Then, as if in slow motion, Malfoy lifted his hand to his face and slowly whipped the mush off his face. His shock slowly changed to fury. "You'll _pay _that Potter!" He yelled, grabbing a glass of pumpkin juice and flinging it in Harry's face.

Silence followed, and then all hell broke loss.

"FOOD FIGHT!" Fred and George Weasley yelled, and threw two handfuls of bread pudding each, landing with a splat on the large heads of Crabbe and Goyle.

Food particles and liquids sailed through the air, some students ducking for cover, others jumping up on the tables to join in on the fun. The teachers were in disarray, trying to maintain order, but couldn't make themselves heard over the noise. All they managed was to get themselves rather flushed, and covered in sticky and gooey foods. Dumbledore and Hagrid were the only people at the teachers' table who hadn't tried to take action. Dumbledore simply watched, eyes twinkling and hands folded, and Hagrid was joining in, sending platefuls of food at a time with his huge hands, and getting a flurry of food back in response. He was laughing heartily, food particles tangled in his mess of a beard.

Batman was doing his best to dodge the flying edible debris, but even his superb dodging skills were no match for this full-scale food war. Giving up, Bruce joined in, doing back flips and cartwheels to dodge food thrown at him, and sending any food or drink he could find in the faces of his pursuers in a flurry of skilled hands. It was house against house, and the Gryffindor's were slowly winning, gaining ground across the hall. Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were side by side, throwing handfuls of food at anyone that came in their way with their wands, and slowly advancing to take over the Hufflepuff table. Batman joined them, throwing food twice as fast, and hitting their enemies before they had a chance to react. Soon, Gryffindor had bulldozed the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables, leaving students caked in food, cowering under the tables behind them.

"Everyone!" Fred yelled. "Form a line!" All the Gryffindor's obeyed, scooping up handfuls of multi-colored food off the floor, and lined up, facing the last table. The Slytherin table.

What remained of the green and silver house stood in jumble, facing off the powerful Gryffindor lions, fury written in ever crease of their faces. Malfoy was at the front of the group, his face red with anger, and his robes splattered with different colored stains. They weren't going out without a fight.

The two houses faced each other, and deadly face-off. Jeering came from both sides, but no one charged. Tension filled the air as the beaten Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's watched with captivity. Even the teachers' were watching, forgetting about trying to regain order.

The two teams stared at each other for a moment longer, and then someone gave the anticipated cry.

"CHAAARRGGE!" Fred and George Weasley yelled in unison, and the two sides clashed, red and gold against green and silver with fierce battle cries. Food flew everywhere, Batman charging ahead, throwing food by the pound, and plowing through any Slytherin that dared to try an overtake him. Out of the corner of his eye, Bruce saw Harry and Ron charge at Malfoy, the thrill of battle in their eyes. In front of him, he saw Fred and George pick up a pie off the teachers' table, (that had some how survived the war up till this point,) and hurl it with a sickening splat into Snape's beaked-nosed face. The potions master fell to the ground, sputtering, as Fred and George howled with laughter.

Batman smirked in spite of himself.

The war was slowly thinning, and Batman was starting to see the edges of the Slytherins table coming into view. They were winning! They were pushing the Slytherins back! Letting out a whoop that surprised even himself, Batman charged, a sense of thrill swelling in his chest that he hadn't felt in ages. Fun. He was having _fun._

"Look! We got them on the run!" Bruce heard Oliver Wood yell, and a cheer rose up from the Gryffindor students. The Slytherin kids were fleeing, abandoning their table and their pride to make a beeline for the doors. "PRESUIT!" Someone yelled, and the Gryffindor's let out a fierce battle cry, chasing after the fleeing snakes and forcing them out of the Great Hall. Batman laughed as he saw Malfoy, his face streaked with green slime and his hair littered with bits of food, framed in the doorway, fear in his wide eyes. They'd shown him!

A cheer that shook the whole castle rang out as the Gryffindor's, Hufflepuff's; Ravenclaw's and teacher's alike celebrated the victory. "GRYFFINDOR! GRYFFINDOR!" The chant rang out, bouncing off the walls, and Batman felt himself being lifted into the air on top of a sea of students. He looked around to see Harry, Ron, Fred and George getting the same treatment, lifted above the students heads, living in the Gryffindor victory.

The cheers went on for a good ten minutes, until Dumbledore's magically magnified voice brought everyone back to order…with some difficulty. When the students finally settled down into silence, Dumbledore spoke, his eyes shinning. "Well, _that _was the first Hogwarts food fight to date." The Headmaster said. "And, as it has been determined, Gryffindor has been labeled the winner." Another cheer broke out, and the Weasley twins broke out into a round of "GRYFFINDOR! GRYFFINDOR!" It took another couple of minutes to calm everyone down again.

"Though I know I should probably give you _all _detentions." Dumbledore said, and a few voices rose in protest. "I _can't _very well give a whole school detention. So I think some _rewards _are in order instead." He smiled at the hall. "Twenty points for Gryffindor, and I think a trophy for 'Winner of the First Annual Hogwarts Food Fight' in the trophy room is in order." At Dumbledore's words, the whole hall once again exploded into cheers of "GRYFFINDOR! GRYFFINDOR!" even louder and meaningful this time. 'Off to bed everyone!" Dumbledore ordered, and the still cheering students filed out of the hall, full of victory and caked in food.

The showers were gonna to be crowded…

The celebration in the Gryffindor Common Room lasted long into the night. Most of the students had given up on washing their clothes, and had simply changed into their PJ's and threw away their trashed uniforms. Batman couldn't exactly do that, so he disdainfully did the best to get the food off his cape, boots, gloves, shirt, pants, armor, and cowl. He did a pretty good job, but there was still a ton of multi-colored stains on his built-proof cape.

Excited chatter filled the Common Room, never ceasing, and forever re-living the glorious food fight. "Did you _see _Snape's face when we threw that pie at him?" Fred chortled, clutching the table for support. "He looked like he'd just seen a _basilisk_!" George chuckled, and the two bursted into fits of laughter, scarcely taking breaks to breath.

Batman came up behind Harry, who was still recapping the events of the war with Ron. "…and when I threw that pie right at him? It was AWESOME!" Ron let out a whoop that was returned by a couple Gryffindor's. "SSSSHHHH!" Hermione said for the hundredth time to no prevail. She was trying to do homework, bits of food stuck in her bushy hair. "C'mon Hermione!" Ron said in disbelief. "It's Friday! You can do your homework over the weekend!" Hermione snorted, clearly disagreeing, and went back to her homework.

"I don't think Malfoy will be bothering you any time soon." Batman said to Harry. Harry beamed at him, a smear of ketchup covering his lightning scar. "You were _amazing _Batman!" He praised the Caped Crusader. "I've never _seen _anyone throw so fast!" "You weren't to bad yourself." Bruce said modestly. Harry opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment Professor McGonagall stuck her head through the portrait hole for the twentieth time, her face flushed. "ENOUGH!" She yelled over the celebration. The Common Room slowly fell into silence.

McGonagall entered the Common Room fully, arms crossed. "I'm happy we've had a wonderful victory." She said. "Really. I am. But this has gone far enough. Bed! NOW!" The Gryffindor's mumbled disappointedly, but slowly headed towards their dormitories. "NOW Mr. Weasley…and Mr. Weasley." McGonagall said, as Fred and George tried to hide behind a banister to stay down. They slunk off, disappointed, for their dormitory.

Finally, only Harry, Ron, Hermione and Batman were left in the Common Room. The three students eyes were slowly dropping, and the adrenaline from earlier seemed to be wearing off. "They can sleep in their dormitories tonight Professor." Batman told McGonagall. "I don't want to make them sleep on the couch when they need the sleep." McGonagall nodded. "Very well." She said. "Off to bed you three!" Ron and Hermione shuffled off to bed, but Harry lingered behind. "Will you be okay down here?" He asked. "Alone?" Batman managed a small smile. "Of course." "And you _promise _you'll get some sleep?" Harry said, pointing an accusing finger. "We'll see." Bruce said. "Now go to bed." Harry yawned, and then climbed the stairs to his waiting bed.

McGonagall watched him go. "He really admires you." She told Batman softly. "I know." He said, staring after the young wizard. McGonagall stared at him for a long moment. "Good night, Batman." She said. "Good night." Batman said, and McGonagall left the Common Room.

**Beep. Beep. **The noise jolted Batman out of his doze. He must have drifted off…still standing upright in the shadows. It was still dark, so he'd probably hadn't been asleep for long.

**Beep. Beep. **Batman jumped. The sound was loud, and…familiar. He couldn't quite place it in his half-asleep state, but it was most defiantly…electronic. That was weird. Bruce was pretty sure he'd confirmed there was no electronics inside of Hogwarts when he'd first arrived. He listened intently, waiting for the beeping noise to sound again.

**Beep. Beep. **The noise sounded again, but this time Bruce was ready for it. His eyes widened as he realized where the alarm was coming from.

Inside his cowl.

Putting his finger to the side of his technology-lined mask, Batman whispered, "Alarm off." He waited a moment, but the beep did not sound again. A small smile played on Batman's lips. He recognized the alarm. It was a signal he had set up a week or so ago, to remind him of a big Waynetech meeting he had coming up, so he wouldn't forget if he was "busy." Bruce wasn't worried about the meeting. There was no way he could make it now. But he was exited by the thought that _some _of his electronics might be working.

He pulled out his communicator, and pressed the screen. "Gotham." He said, naming his password, and activating the voice activation part of unlocking it. The screen remained blank. Batman set his jaw. Okay, so his Bat-communicator still had interference. He tried it in multiple places around the room, trying to get signal with no prevail. Putting his finger to his ear, Batman whispered, "Oracle. Oracle, come in." There was no response. Not even static.

Swearing silently, Batman gave up. The magic of Hogwarts still blocked his electronics. Apparently only small devices such as his alarm evaded the enchantments.

Batman sighed, exhaustion washing over him. When was the last time he'd actually slept? Two days ago? Three? Either way, the excitement since he'd arrived at Hogwarts had tired him, and he didn't think he'd be able to make himself go another night without sleep. That is, without driving himself to the edge… which usually made him fit to do absolutely nothing.

He needed to sleep, if only for three or four hours. But he needed to wake up somehow…so none of the Gryffindor's caught him sleeping. He still had a the reputation of the "Worlds Toughest Muggle" and the "Creature Of The Night" titles to uphold here. But how?

Then the thought hit him. His alarm!

Quickly, Batman put his finger to his ear. "Set timer." He said. "Time?" A robot voice asked him. Bruce checked the time. 2:00. If he set it for 5:00, that would give him three hours. "Five o'clock A.M." Batman said. "Date?" The robot voice asked. Batman paused. He had no idea what day it was. "Today." He said finally.

"Timer set." The robot voice said, and clicked off. Batman smiled. Now he could get three hours of sleep and still be up before any of the Gryffindor's!

Bruce glanced at the couch. It looked so inviting… Batman walked over to the soft, plush Gryffindor couch. He hesitated, before gently laying down on it, he resting on the armrest, and black cape pulled protectively around him. His muscles relaxed, and Bruce gratefully gave in to his exhaustion.

Soon, Batman had fallen into a peaceful slumber.

(A/N: Longest chapter yet! Thanks a much for all your reviews and comments, and I hope you've all enjoyed this story thus far! XD)


	9. The Cat and the Broomstick

Batman awoke to a small beeping in his cowl. "Five o' clock AM." A robotic voice told him. Opening his eyes, Bruce was surprised to see the tiniest rays of sunlight drifting through the large windows in the Gryffindor Common Room.

Rubbing off all traces of tiredness from himself in a matter of seconds, Batman automatically got up off the couch, straitening his cape and fixing any elements of his uniform that had been disturbed by his slumber. Systematically, he smoothed out the ruffled fabric of the couch, and arranged the cushions and pillows so it appeared that no one had slept there. Satisfied, he then retired back into the stretches of shadows that still haunted the corners of the dimly lit room.

Stretching out his stiff muscles, Bruce congratulated himself on a plan well executed. His sleeping arrangement had worked out perfectly. He had gotten three hours of sleep, and he was awake and alert long before any Gryffindor had wandered down the stairs. Perfect.

And not a moment to soon. Within a half-an-hour, the first wayward student found his way down to the Common Room. It was Ron, stretching and yawning. He mumbled a "Morning" to Batman, who nodded in recognition. At least Ron had become accustomed to Bruce's arrangement of things.

Not long after, more people started to file in. Fred and George, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Angelina, Wood, Percy, Neville, Dean, and many more soon filled the Common Room with much yawns and needed stretches. Normal morning routine went on, something that Batman had started to become used to. Everyone got rid of their sleepiness, said good morning to each other, roamed around, and then finally got dressed and headed down to breakfast. A couple people said good morning to Bruce, and he nodded to them all. The Gryffindor's were becoming more accustomed to his presence everyday, and him to theirs. A mutual relationship between him and the students and teachers at Hogwarts was forming, and Bruce wasn't entirely sure if he liked it, or disliked it. Or should encourage it, or discourage it, at that. He was out of his comfort zone, and he was at loss as to what to do about it. So he did nothing, something that he hated to do, but saw not other option to take its place.

But nevertheless, Batman still had a plan.

Bruce's only objective during his stay at Hogwarts was to gather information on the Die Katze to stop Catwoman. Batman felt he had gathered plenty of important news, more than he really needed to take action. The next step was to find and defeat Catwoman and her magical statue before she—or it—did any damage.

But to do so, he would have to leave Hogwarts. A privilege he had not yet earned.

Bruce saw no other way to earn his freedom but to gain Dumbledore's trust. Escape was not an option. Magical forces protected the borders, and Batman knew there was no way he would be able to break through with the resources and little knowledge of this type of magic at hand. At least, not without a wand, and Bruce did NOT want to dig the hole even deeper around him. Fiddling with magic would only make things worse.

So he had to resort to appealing to the Headmaster, gaining his trust and respect. This included _not _being mean to students, and being almost kind to any that talked or acknowledged him. No angry retorts or comments, and any order given to him by one of the teachers must be taken without resistance. So far, Bruce thought it was working well. McGonagall seemed to we warming up to him nicely, as were many other teachers and students—with the exception of Snape and most of the Slytherins. Batman only hoped that he was making an impression on Dumbledore as well, other wise he had very slim hopes of ever getting out of this cursed castle.

These thoughts ran through Bruce's head as to keep himself in check in case he was confronted. He mustn't lose his temper at all, or all the trust he'd built up so far would come crashing down. It wasn't long before Harry approached him.

"You coming to breakfast?" He asked.

Batman nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'm curious to see how the Great Hall looks after last night." He said quietly.

Harry smiled. "Me too." He said. He paused a moment, and studied his shoes awkwardly. "You…ah, you were pretty amazing last night." He managed, carefully not to look at Bruce. "I don't think we would have won without you."

A warm feeling enveloped Batman's heart at these words, and he was surprised and furious with himself to find himself feeling touched. "Your welcome." He said softly, even though he was extremely mad at himself for being so affectionate. He couldn't afford to become attached!

Harry looked up, and his bright green eyes met Bruce's. Warmth was filled in them, and Batman felt a jolt as he realized something. Harry had become attached to _him _just as much as _he _had become attached to _Harry_.They stared at each other for a while, and Batman felt an overwhelming since of longing. Longing to give in to his feelings of connection to Harry and confess to him how much they were alike, tell him what happened to his parents, and maybe even become his friend. His role model. But he refrained. Harry was a wizard. Batman was a muggle crime fighter. They were opposites, completely and utterly different except for that sole similarity that only Bruce knew. They could never be friends. And Batman needed to stop fooling himself.

"I'll see you at breakfast." He told Harry, before quickly walking away. He needed to get away, clear his head, and regain control of the emotions he was feeling. "Um, see you at breakfast!" Harry called after him, sounding a little hurt. Bruce opened the portrait hole, and left the Common Room.

Walking through the halls of Hogwarts aimlessly, Bruce tried to get a grip on himself. His emotions for Harry were tangled and unidentified, and he found he could not simply push them away and bury them like he did almost every day of his life. He couldn't stop them. He couldn't control them! The new experience was starting to scare him. He felt bad for walking out on Harry like he did, and he felt a connection to him because of their similar histories. He felt protectiveness over Harry whenever a conflict arose, and he felt pride whenever Harry did well. He was feeling all these things, all in one, when he really shouldn't be feeling them at all! He didn't understand it.

Then it hit him. The reason he felt differently towards Harry than anyone else.

He loved Harry. He loved Harry like he loved Dick and Tim. He loved Harry like a father did a son. _That's _why he was feeling all those close and personal feelings towards someone he barely even knew. The connection, the knowledge that Harry's parents had also been murdered like his, had caused him to develop a protective, parent-like role in Harry's life, and he had started to become and feel more like a father to him. Harry looked up to Bruce like a father, and Bruce looked down at Harry like a son. The truth of this hit Bruce full in the face, and he realized just what he had done, unconsciously, since the day he had arrived at Hogwarts.

He had created a bond with a boy.

A _wizard _boy.

And to continue on with his mission, his life as the Batman, he would have to break it.

Bruce bit his lip, and he leaned against the wall for support. This was the worst possible thing that could happen to him. In every aspect of his being, he had always despised magic. Its unpredictability, the power it had and the danger it held over the normal people. He hated it, and had never hid his feelings towards it. And now, he had become attached to a being of the very thing he despised.

Torn, Batman found himself at a crossroad, like many others he had faced in his lifetime. But this, he found, was the first one he was really and truly at loss with, unable to decide which fork was the right path. One path was to give in to Harry and his heart. Allow himself to become like the parent Harry had never had. Comfort and protect him. But that path also involved renouncing beliefs that he had held since he had first donned the cape and cowl, and maybe losing respect from other heroes that saw him as a man who stuck with his ways till the very end.

The other path was to follow what his mind, and what his years and years of crime fighting told him to do. To dump Harry, to cut himself off from him, and not let himself to become attached. To be mean and cruel to him until he left Batman alone, and then Bruce could go back to being The Bat. The man, the dark Batman, who never changes his ways, never backs down from his views and beliefs.

But this road also housed guilt. Guilt for treating Harry in a way he didn't deserve to be treated. And possibly inflicting hatred and other scars to an already scarred young individual.

Both roads held something Bruce wanted. But they both also held something he didn't want. It was a horrible dilemma, and Batman knew he must make a choice. But the answer, the solution, was not clear to him. For once, he had a problem he could not figure out. The great and mighty Batman had been defeated by a simple choice between what would be the right decision…and the wrong one.

Conflicted, Bruce's whirling thoughts were interrupted by the sound of happy chatter drifting from around the corner. Peaking around, Batman saw a mob of students making their way down to the Great Hall. It must be time for breakfast.

Ducking back into the shadows again, Bruce knew he must make another choice: go to breakfast, like he had told Harry he would, or give in to the other side of his dilemma. Ignore breakfast altogether, starting his exile away from the eleven year old wizard.

Standing there, torn, a voice suddenly drifted into Batman's head. It was from his past, something Dick had told him long ago. "You know Bruce." Dick said, his voice coming across wise despite his youth. "Sometimes, you can't just base your decisions off of data. Sometimes, you need to base it off your heart."

In that moment, Bruce knew what he had to do. The time for the final decision on this issue was not yet at hand. But he knew the answer for the immediate one.

Taking a deep breath, he rounded the corner and entered the Great Hall.

Harry sat at the Gryffindor table, and empty seat saved beside him. He had already piled food on his plate, but had left it untouched thus far, content on watching the rest of the students file in through the great double doors. For some reason, he was worried Batman wouldn't show. He didn't quite get why, since really, it was his choice to come or not, but it seemed like something hung in the balance with his presence this morning. He just couldn't place why.

Harry liked Batman. He knew he did, he couldn't delude himself from the truth. His vigilant silence. His stealth. His skills. His refusal to give up his ways. His ways of getting around the fact he had no powers and still, well…kicking butt. It intrigued him in ways he couldn't describe. Batman was a role model like no other, and Harry found himself unable to ignore that.

And then…back in the Common Room. When they had looked each other in the eye. Harry couldn't see Batman's face, but he had noticed something…conflicting emotions. He was sure of it. And he had a hunch Batman was starting to become attached to him his well.

The thought thrilled him…but also made him cautious. How would someone like Batman take something like that? Bonding with a wizard boy? He had made it clear when he arrived that he had no love for magic in any form. Would he embrace it? Or run away from it?

Harry told himself that it would be okay if Batman didn't want to become friends with him. To become his role model. It was his choice, after all. But he knew he didn't want him too. And not just because he liked him.

Batman…reminded him of someone. When he spoke to Harry today…he hadn't used his normal rough, gravelly voice he had used since Harry had met him. Harry didn't think Batman noticed, and he had a hunch that this was Batman's _real_ voice. The other one was simply a cover up to hide his identity and add to his persona.

The new voice was…different. Softer. Kinder. And when he'd spoke to him, Harry had heard a trace of…protectiveness in it. Affection even…if not…love. And it reminded Harry, vaguely, of someone. Someone he knew. He just couldn't quite…place it. It seemed to avoid him, dancing just out of reach.

Running his hand though his messy hair, Harry sighed. Everything always had to be so complicated. Picking up a piece of toast, Harry was about to take a bite when he caught something out of the corner of his eyes. Turning his head, he almost jumped straight out of his skin.

Batman was sitting next to him, watching him with expressionless white eyes.

Harry fought to regain control of his pulse. "I…I…I didn't hear you…sit down." He said faintly. Batman smirked. "Obviously not." He said, before taking a roll out of one of the baskets, buttering it, and taking a small bite. Smiling now that he'd gotten over his shock, Harry bit into his toast. Relaxation and relief flowed through his body.

Batman had come. Everything was going to be all right.

Batman watched Harry intently all through the meal. They two of them ate in silence. There was no need to talk, since Ron provided plenty enough noise. Harry seemed a little distracted, but happy. Batman felt slightly uncomfortable, but relatively at ease with Harry's presence, something his mind was telling him to reject. Ron, of course, was oblivious to all of this, and helped Batman's—and he suspected possibly Harry's—mind of conflicting emotions with his constant chatter. Overall, Bruce was starting to feel satisfied with the little of the meal he had allowed himself to eat, and was about to excuse himself to return to the Common Room when a screech interrupted from above.

Harry, Ron, Batman, and Hermione—who had been reading a book the whole time—looked up in surprise to see a screech owl gliding toward them, a large, irregular shaped parcel in its claws. Harry's eyes widened as the owl swooped in front of him, dropping the parcel on the table and scattering his cereal. But before he could touch the unexpected package, another owl flew in and dropped a letter on Harry's head.

Snatching the letter, Harry ripped it open and read it, a smile starting to crawl onto his face. Curious, Batman leaned over Harry's shoulder and read the curly handwriting:

DO NOT OPEN PARCEL AT TABLE. It contains your Nimbus 2000, but I don't want everybody to knowing you have a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at 7 o'clock for your first training session.

_Professor M. Mcgonagall_

Ron finished reading the letter a split second after Batman. "A Nimbus 2000." He moaned. "I've never even _touched _one!"

Batman looked at Harry curiously. "What's a Nimbus 2000?" He asked. "A broomstick." Harry said, staring at the wrapped package, amazed. "Not just _any _broomstick!" Ron exclaimed, outraged. "The best there is! All the pros are using them!" "C'mon, lets go open it in the Common Room!" Harry said excitedly. The two of them jumped out of their chairs and raced out of the hall. Batman and Hermione followed, walking unhurriedly.

"They seem excited." Batman observed. Hermione sniffed. "It's just a broomstick. I don't see what they're getting all riled up about." She said disdainfully. The two of them rounded the corner…and stopped.

Ron and Harry stood in front of them, facing off a blond boy holding Harry's broom in his hands. Malfoy. "This is a broomstick." Malfoy sneered, feeling the parcel. "First years aren't allowed one." Crabbe and Goyle snickered behind him. "Give it back jerk." Ron spat, looking like he was about to charge. "No." Malfoy said. "I don't think I will." Hermione glanced at Batman to see if he was going to break this up, but he wasn't there. Looking behind Crabbe and Goyle, she smirked as she noticed a shadow…moving ever so slightly.

Harry and Ron noticed it too, their expressions of fury turning into sly smiles. Draco glared at them. "What are you smiling at?" He accused, but froze when a chill went down his spine. Slowly, he turned around, coming face to face with a scowling, menacing man twice his height. Shrieking, he dropped the broomstick, taking off down the hall, followed by a limping Crabbe and a dizzy Goyle from Batman having tripped them.

Bruce smiled after them. "To bad I couldn't do any lasting damage to them." He muttered, picking up the broom and handing it to Harry. He gratefully took it, smiling. "That was _awesome!_" Ron cheered. "Highlight of my day!" "Thanks." Harry told Batman. Bruce smiled. "No problem." He said.

"C'mon, lets go open it now!" Harry said, and he and Ron took of again, followed again by Batman and Hermione. When the two of them entered the Common Room, they found Harry and Ron already sprawled on the carpet, staring in awe at a smooth, gleaming broomstick, NIMBUS 2000 neatly carved in gold on the flawless handle. Bruce could see why it was so special. That was no household broom. Ron was flushed with jealously. "You are sooooo lucky!" he moaned.

The two of them discussed the broom for a while, before Hermione warned them that is was almost time for their first class of the day. Reluctantly, Ron left with Hermione, but Harry lagged behind. "You'll…come to my first Quidditch match…" He said hesitatingly. "Right?" Bruce hesitated for a moment. Should he accept or should he…?

"Yes." Batman told him, putting a hand of Harry's shoulder and pushing his conflicting thoughts away. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

**Catwoman's POV:**

If there is one thing about me, it's that I'm a pacer. Whenever I need time to think, I pace. Back and forth, back and forth. It…just helps me think.

Pacing is what I'm doing now. Ever since my last trip into someone's body through the Die Katze, I've been afraid to try anything with it. It's been two days since then, and I still have no idea what I should do. Throw it away? Not an option. I cringe to thing how much Joker or someone his type would love taking control of some else's body. Return it? Never. I stole it fair and square. No way I'm going soft and putting it back.

My last option…work with it. Figure out its powers, and learn to control them. But…that might also mean more unwanted trips into stranger's minds.

I fell back onto my bed. "Gah." I mumbled. "I have no clue what to do."

_"You are troubled."_

I shrieked and fell off the bed. Grabbing my whip, I stood up cautiously. No one was there. "Who said that?" I demanded.

_"There is no need to be frightened, young servant."_

Oookay…creepy voice…in my _head!_

"Who are you?" I asked cautiously.

_"I am Bast, the Cat Goddess. And you…you are my new host."_

Say what? "What do you mean your 'new host'?" I exclaimed, anger starting to override my fear and cautiousness. "Show yourself!"

_"If you insist." _The voice said, and I heard a thump as something landed on my bed, causing me to shriek and fall again.

Standing on my bed, head cocked and tail twitching, was the Die Katze.

The statue was _alive!_

_ "Peculiar." _The statue said, lying down on the bedspread and lazily hanging it's head over the side, watching me. The mouth did not move when it spoke. I heard the voice, loud in clear, in my head. _"You freed me from my prison. You defended me from the enemy. You attempted to use my power, and you wear a costume that is obviously meant to honor me. But yet you seemed surprised by me. I know that I am awe inspiring, but while trapped inside this accursed body I didn't think you would react so…violently. You did free me from my prison to serve me, did you not?"_

"I…uh…I…" I found myself lost for words. I mean, what are you to say to a talking cat statue that just came alive out of nowhere and claims to be an ancient Egyptian Goddess?

_"Lost for words I see." _The statue said, it's firm, drawling female voice sounding completely confident. Almost lazy. Jumping down from the bed, it sat down in front of me, head cocked. It studied me for a moment, red ruby eyes glittering. I found I could not take my eyes off them. I was mesmerized. _"You are perfect for what I require." _It said at last. _"Young, agile, full of spunk from what I gathered back at my prison. Yes, you will do wonderfully. Unfortunately, I am not yet powerful enough in_ _this shell to transfer myself into you. I must acquire an object powerful enough to strengthen my power…but what?" _The cat seemed to be talking to itself now. It paced around a little bit, ignoring me and muttering, before turning back to me sharply.

_"Go get a talisman for me," _It hissed. _"The most powerful magical object you can find, and bring it to me!" _My eyes narrowed. Did I just get an order from a _statue? _I was about to retort when my muscles tightened, and I found myself obeying. _Go find a powerful magical object, _my mind said. Simple enough. I started to oblige, before I realized what I was doing. With some difficulty, I forced myself to stop.

_"You dare disobey me?" _The cat spat, its body arching, fury written in its stone features. "Yes." I said through gritted teeth. "I…I don't know what trickery this is…or…or…hypnotism, but I won't buy into it!" There was a flash, and I felt a searing pain in my left arm. Surprised, I fell against the wall, too shocked to scream. Blood trickled down my arm. _"I'll teach you," _the cat screeched. _"I'll teach you to disobey—" _She cut off, looking at me with new interest, my words obviously just sinking in.

_"Trickery?" _It said softly. _"Hypnotism? Why would…? Oh…I see." _The red eyes flashed, and I felt a brief cold rush through me, making me feel vulnerable. Vaguely, I somehow realized it just looked into my mind. _"You do not believe." _The statue said quietly. _"You are not who I thought you are. You are not a devoted servant come to rescue me and do my will. You are simply a thief, are you not? Wishing to own me, and use my magic, am I correct?"_

I nodded, too winded and in pain from the cats attack to speak. _"Well," _The statue purred thoughtfully. _"That changes things, now doesn't it? Here, let me fixed that." _The cat came closer, and placed a paw on my injured arm. Immediately, the pain subsided. _"Come." _It said, retreating and jumping back onto the bed. _"Sit by me. I'm sure you are craving an explanation."_

Cautiously, I stood. Could this be a trick? Would it just attack me again? Slowly, I walked over and sat gingerly on the bed, a few good feet away from where the statue lay.

"_Now." _The cat said. _"Selina. That is your name, right?" _I nodded hesitantly. _"A pretty name." _The statue purred. _"I like it. But enough of pleasantries. I am Bast; the supreme and powerful Cat Goddess, worshiped throughout Egypt for millennia, as I said before, though I noticed you failed to believe it is so. Do I need to demonstrate?" _I shook my head, still trying my best not to speak if possible. Believing in magical cat goddesses was pretty easy for me at the moment.

"_Good. I'm liking you more and more already." _The statue—Bast-said. _"I did not know that you were unaware of who I was when you stole my statue, and that is why I acted so hastily. I take it you would like to know how I got in this state?" _The tone of the voice suggested this was not an invitation, this was an order. I felt a since of forbidding, and I thought about how the statue had struck me down so fast and so effortlessly. Listening to the cat seemed like the safest option at the moment. "Sure." I managed to say. Could this get any weirder?

"_Wonderful." _Bast purred. _"To begin, we must go back a couple centuries. It started at the fall of Egypt. With all our followers in disarray, the gods began to fight amongst themselves. Greedy gods who were trying to take more power for themselves, and all that nasty business. Wanting to avoid conflicted, I sheltered…elsewhere, keeping my powers and goods to myself. I still had a few loyal followers that I could cling too. But I was betrayed. Set found me, and trapped me inside this cursed cat statuette before I could use my power against him. He found it…comical, to see me trapped inside one of my own pieces sacred to me. Stuck inside, little of my power could escape, but I saved it, bit by bit, for millennia, before I almost had enough to break free. But Set found out. He sent that stupid German into the desert where my statuette lay buried, and led him to unearth it. Once he placed me inside the museum, Set was able to place spells on the place so I could not use my power inside of it. I was powerless…until someone would come and rescue me from my prison."_

The statue looked at me, red eyes twinkling eerily. _"But now, at last, I am free!" _She hissed. _"Free to take my revenge on Set for what he did to me, and regain my hold as a Goddess to this non-believing world. I will rule humanity with an iron fist!" _She purred, eyes closed, satisfied with the thought. _"And you, my pretty." _She said, eyes opening and turning back to me. _"You shall be my greatest champion, my right hand servant! Once you help me find a magical talisman powerful enough to recharge me, we'll be unstoppable!"_ Horrified, I backed away from the statue. "I don't _want _to rule the world!" I exclaimed. Suddenly aware of danger, my instincts took over and I did a back flip off the bed, landing deftly on my feet, edging to the door. "I just wanted to claim a beautiful statue for a prize and take a much needed vacation." I said, panicked that this statue was, very possible a real person wanting to control me. "Thanks for the offer, but you might want to go find another world conqueror for a host. Vandal Savage maybe? Hear he's into that sort of thing."

"_You DARE to turn down my offer?" _Bast roared, eyes flaming. "Yeah, I think the cat burglar thing suits me more than world conqueror." I said, realizing it was time to make my exit. I grabbed the doorknob. "Bye!" I yelled, before ripping open the door and making to dive out of the room.

SLAM! A searing pain in my nose momentarily stunned me, and I fell to the floor. Eyes watering, I looked up, clutching my bleeding nose. Golden energy covered the door, and Bast sat in front of it, stone paws glowing gold and eyes flashing a dangerous red. _"I cannot let you leave." _She hissed. _"If you will not bend to my will by choice, I will force you to." _

The cat lifted a golden paw, and I felt myself rise into the air, unable to control my limbs. The red eyes of the statue began to glow. _"Obey me." _Bast's voice hissed in my head. _"OBEY ME!" _My mind struggled to withstand her hold, but she was too powerful. Soon, Bast's voice took control, and I no longer had any control over my limbs or my brain. I could only listen to Bast's voice in my head, see what was happening, as if from far away. Powerless.

"_You will be my servant." _Bast said. "I will be your servant." I replied tonelessly. Bast purred. _"Good." _She said. _"Now. To prove your worth to me."_

Bast raised her paws, golden energy rising from them. She moved them in a circular motion until a little golden window appeared. Slowly, and image began to form in the swirling energy.

A broomstick. Beautifully carved, with a polished handle, even twigs, and NIMBUS 2000 written in gold on the handle.

"_You will find this for me." _Bast hissed. "I will find this for you." My mouth repeated listlessly. _"You will steal it for me, so I can use its magical energy to break free of this body, and inhabit yours." _"I will steal that for you so you can use its magical energy to break free and inhabit me."

Bast stone faced smiled, a truly creepy and evil sight. _"Good." _She said. _"You may make a good host for me yet."_


	10. Bats Don't Play Qudditch

**(A/N: Ah Bats Don't Use Magic. Good to come back and write another chapter on my most popular story. Thanks to all who have reviewed and favorited, I love you all!)**

Four.

Four days. That's how long Batman had been at Hogwarts. A day had passed since Harry had received his Nimbus 2000 at the breakfast table, and Harry had successfully gotten through his first training session with Oliver Wood, plus two practices with the whole team.

Now, the day of the first match had arrived. Gryffindor versus Slytherin.

Harry was so anxious, he was visibly pale.

Sitting at the breakfast table, toast and marmalade untouched, Ron, Hermione and even Batman had all tried to calm the Boy Who Lived down and get him to eat, but with no success. All the Qudditch players at the Gryffindor table weren't eating, muscles taught and faces grim as they prepared themselves for the first game of the season.

Batman watched these particular people with interest. He found it fascinating that such a simple thing as a magical game played on flying broomsticks could have this much effect on a person. He'd never seen any of the students act this serious in the couple days he had been at the castle. Even Fred and George seemed nervous, and for once neither of them had smiles on their faces and neither of them cracked a single joke.

After the tense breakfast, the team met together in the Common Room, going over the game plan one more time before the match in an hour. Then Harry joined Ron and Hermione by the fire, a stony, glazed expression on his face, as if it just hit him that it was almost time for the match. Hermione tried keeping up a light conversation with him with absolutely no success, and finally the three of them simply sat in silence, Batman watching them soundlessly from the shadows.

And then, finally, the time to head down to the Qudditch Pitch arrived. Harry got up from the couch like a zombie and joined the rest of the team as they walked out of the Common Room, the rest of the Gryffindor's and Batman all trailing behind them, excitement hanging in the air.

The procession met up with the huge gaggle of the rest of the school in the main hall as everyone made their way out the gigantic doors and outside towards the Qudditch Pitch. As Batman was swept out the doors with the crowd, he realized that this was the first time he'd truly been out of the castle since he'd woken up in the hospital wing. The closest he'd been was when he was in the courtyard at flying lessons two days ago. Now, he relished the sweet breeze on the little bit of his face that was exposed to the world,and cherished the clean air. He hadn't realized just how much he'd been missing it.

He closed his eyes briefly, but then snapped them open again as he felt himself being watched. Sweeping the crowd making their way down the grassy hill to the pitch, he noticed a couple of teachers dotted among them. McGonagall, Snape, Quirell and Sprout, all spread out amongst the students, supposedly going to watch the game.

The only thing unnerving was that all four of them were watching him unswervingly.

Batman realized with a sense of annoyance that they were sent out to keep an eye on him, there to make sure that he didn't try anything fancy. They must know that he had practically no chance at all of ever getting through their magical boundaries with his current resources, but it seemed that Dumbledore was taking no chances.

Well, let them watch him. He wasn't going to try anything, though the thought had crossed his mind. He did want leave, but he wasn't stupid. He knew how to pick his battles, and making a hopeless escape attempt was fruitless. Plus it would break any trust he had managed to gain with the Headmaster.

No, he wasn't going to try anything drastic. No here and now anyway.

Ignoring the teachers, Batman set his sights on Ron and Hermione, who, now that Harry and the team had disappeared, heading in another direction towards the locker rooms, seemed excited and cheerful. He followed them into the stands and sat next to them as they took their seats.

It seemed incredibly weird to sit down like a normal person, and Batman was horribly aware of it. As Bruce Wayne, it would have been no big deal. But as Batman, he was completely out of place and he knew it. He was the oddball in the sea of students. But unlike other scenarios he'd been in since he'd come to Hogwarts, he could not simply stay standing. He would be blocking everyone's view. So he was forced to sit and feel like and idiot.

Ignoring the uncomfortable feelings and many stares, Bruce focused on the Qudditch Pitch. This was the first time he'd seen it, and he was surprised by it's size. Since everything's in the air, he would have thought the ground part of it would be fairly small, but it was at least the size of a football field, and took up a ton of room. He was thinking about how they must have constructed it, when it occurred to him they probably just waved their wands and the pieces simply built themselves.

"How are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"Fine." Batman said flatly.

Hermione smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure this is weird for you." She said awkwardly. "You didn't have to come."

"I know." Bruce said. "But I promised Harry."

Hermione looked surprised. "Really?" She asked.

Bruce nodded slightly, a little bit embarrassed.

Hermione smiled, showing bucked teeth. "That's…that's actually very sweet of you." She said quietly.

Batman turned away, embarrassed, cheeks burning under his mask. Why had he told her that? Stupid.

Luckily, he was saved any more embarrassment by an explosion of applause as the Gryffindor's walked onto the field in their bright red robes with gold trim, names called out by a magnified voice that called himself Lee Jordan. Hermione and Ron were jumping up and down, yelling like mad. Bruce simply clapped his gloved hands quietly, unwilling to show much enthusiasm.

Next, the Slytherin team, clad in bright green robes with silver trim, appeared, and their names announced, much to the boos of the Gryffindor supporters.

Then the crowd fell silent as the two teams faced off and the captains shook hands. Then both teams mounted their brooms and took to the air. Madam Hooch quickly reviewed the rules and then put her whistle to her lips, the red soccer ball-sized sphere that Batman now knew from Ron was called the Quaffle held in her hand.

Then, as if in slow motion, Madam Hooch blew the whistle, the shrill sound echoing across the field, and threw the Quaffle into the air.

Immediately all hell broke lose as the teams dived for the Quaffle, all the players from both teams grabbing for it save six; the two Keepers, the two Seekers, and the four Beaters.

Batman watched each player intently, losing sight of the Quaffle many times in the flurry of colors, and listening to the possession going back and forth. "And Gryffindor's in possession! Ooooo no, stolen by one of the Slytherin Chasers. Oh wait; he's hit by a Bludger from one of the Weasley twins! Now Bell has the Quaffle, is speeding down the field towards the hoops, she aims, she throws, she scores! TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor supporters erupted into cheers; red and gold banners waving as the celebrated the goal. Batman watched them with a small smile. It had been a while since he'd been to a sports event like this.

The game continued with a flurry of goals from both sides. The score was up to seventy-fifty with Slytherin in the lead.

Batman glanced at Ron and Hermione. Ron was staring at the players, eyes darting as he watched each one with awe, slack-jawed. Hermione was sitting hunched up, knees to her chin, biting her nails furiously. He smiled slightly and looked back at the game, eyes finding Harry. He was still circling above the other players, scanning the field for any sign of the Snitch, which had yet to be spotted. His movements were graceful and precise, and he handled his new broom nicely. It was obvious he was a natural.

Batman watched Harry for a good few minutes, automatically memorizing and analyzing each move he made, storing it in the back of his brain in case he needed it. He couldn't help it. Years of crime fighting had made it second nature to him. He was so transfixed with Harry, watching his deft moves, that he didn't hear the dramatic change of cheers to screams until Hermione was screeching in his ear.

"OH NO!" She shrieked, staring at the field in horror. Batman's head whipped down away from Harry to see one of the Gryffindor Chasers—Katie Bell, Lee Jordan was yelling—spiral down from the sky and land with a sickening crunch on the field.

Immediately, Madam Hooch's whistle filled the air, stopping the game, and Madam Promfrey along with Professor McGonagall hurried onto the field. They rushed up to the fallen girl, and Batman saw McGonagall conjure a stretcher out of thin air and gently lift Katie onto it. Madam Promfrey made a quick examination, then hurried over to Madam Hooch and whispered something into her ear. Hooch nodded, pulling out her wand and muttering something before pointed it to her chin.

Suddenly, her voice filled the arena, magically magnified. "Gryffindor Chaser Katie Bell is out of the game." She announced. "The Gryffindor team must find a replacement and resume the game within five minutes or they forfeit the match."

Shouts of protest filled the Gryffindor stands, and an ashen-faced Gryffindor team touched down on the field and formed a huddle. When it broke up, Batman could clearly see the expressions of defeat on their faces, and realized what it meant.

They didn't have anyone to replace Katie Bell with. They had to forfeit the game.

Batman looked at Harry, frowning at the crest fallen expression on his face. He knew that this game meant a lot to him. He wished there was something he could do, but he was powerless, something that was extremely infuriating to him. He watched as Harry started to make his way off the field with the team, shoulders slumped.

But halfway off the ptich his posture suddenly changed, shoulders rocketing back up as if an idea had just hit him. He ran over to Wood and started talking to him a mile per minute. He saw Wood's posture also straighten slightly, and he started talking furiously back and forth with Harry. And then Harry was rushing off the field…and into the stands.

A murmur of disbelief rose through the crowd as Harry raced up the aisles of the Gryffindor bleachers, stopping breathless at the edge of one of the rows.

Batman's row.

Their eyes locked, and in that moment Bruce knew with a sense of dread what he was going to say even before he said it.

"Batman. We need you to play Qudditch."

Harry had felt like his heart had fell straight down to his stomach when he saw Katie fall. And he knew it was the end of the game even before Madam Hooch announced it.

His first feeling was worry. He hoped Katie would be okay, but he was sure Madam Promfrey would make her as good as new eventually. The second was anger. Why did this have to happen on his first game? It wasn't fair! He looked at the other Gryffindor players and saw his own emotions mirrored in their eyes as Madam Hooch announced that they needed to find a replacement in five minutes or they forfeit the game.

Harry thought back to his few Qudditch practices, but didn't remember Wood ever having mentioned a replacement Chaser. And no other Gryffindor came to mind that could do it. He just hoped that Wood knew one. But as he flew toward the ground, he could see from the expression on Oliver's face that he didn't.

So that was it. They were out of the game.

They did a quick huddle, but it was hopeless. No one knew anyone good enough to take Katie's place, even just for a little while. Crest fallen, the team started to make their way off the field.

And then it hit him.

Batman.

Batman could be a Chaser. He knew he could. He'd seen how he'd swooped down on top of Malfoy the other day. He was agile, smart and fast, everything a good Chaser needed to be. He'd never played Qudditch before, but Harry was positive that Batman could fly better than the whole team once he got on the broom and got a feel for it.

He could do it.

Of course, it might be against the rules, but Harry was already sprinting to Wood before the thought had finished crossing his mind.

"Wood!" he said breathlessly as he reached him.

"Forfeited Harry." Oliver said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe it, we've _never _forfeited…"

"Wood." Harry repeated. "Wood I know someone who can play!"

Oliver's head snapped around to look at the first year. "What did you say?" He asked in disbelief.

"I know someone who can play!" Harry exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

Wood's eyes widened, and he stared at Harry like he was an alien from outer space. "Who?" he breathed.

"Batman." Harry said. "Batman can do it, I _know _he can!"

It took a moment for his words to sink in. Wood raised an eyebrow. "Batman?" He echoed. "The muggle with the black cape? Seriously?"

"He can do it." Harry said confidently. "He's fast and agile, and he can outthink the Slytherins any day. That's everything you said a good Chaser should be! I mean, he took out Snape without using a wand!"

Oliver stood stock still on the field, considering. The rest of the team had started to come over, curiosity on their faces having noticed their captain had come to a sudden stand still.

"It might just work." He said finally. "But is it legal?"

"I don't know." Harry said. "But I think it's worth a shot."

Wood nodded, excitement returning to his eyes. "Will he do it?" He wondered, hope in his voice.

Harry turned to look up in the stands, finding the black-clad figure in the crowd. "I…I don't know." He said truthfully. He wasn't sure if Batman would take him up on something like _this. _He turned back to Wood. "I'd have to ask him."

"Go." Wood said, accenting the word with desperation as Harry wheeled around and took off. "GO!"

Harry rocketed into the stands, the wind whistling in his ears as he took the steps two at a time, ignoring the yells from the students around him. How much time was left? He had no idea. All he knew was that he needed to get to Batman.

And then he was there, panting, standing at the edge of the bench where he sat, dark and imposing, completely silent, watching him.

"Batman." Harry said breathlessly, desperation and pleading in his voice. "We need you to play Qudditch."

Batman's first answer popped into his head the moment Harry said the words. NO. N-O. No _way _was he going to go out there, mount some stupid enchanted broom and fly around like an idiot with a red ball.

Then the second answer popped into his brain. YES. He was looking into Harry's face, the sweat glistening off it, and the sheer hope that maybe Batman would do it, maybe he would go out there and fly and save the Gryffindor's from forfeiting the game, written across it. Yes. That was his job, right? Saving people?

Uncertainty clouded his thoughts as his mind raged a battle that had been going on for days. He looked back up at Harry unsurely.

The eleven-year-old boy was staring at him, green eyes wide behind his circular glasses. "Please Batman." He whispered. "We need you. _I _need you."

And at that moment, the decision was made.

Before any part of him could object, Bruce had said the word: "Yes."

The effect was immediate. Harry's face lit up with relief and joy as Batman stood up from his seat. "I knew you'd say yes." He whispered, so only Bruce could hear.

"ONE MINUTE!" Madam Hooch's voice rang out.

"Come on!" Harry exclaimed, turning to race down the stairs. Batman's muscles sprang into action as he easily matched Harry's speed. It felt good to run again. Cape whipping out behind him, he and Harry reached the grassy ground of the pitch in seconds and raced up to the red and gold team.

Wood was beaming. "So you'll do it?" He asked excitedly, looking up at the tall masked figure. "Yes." Batman said without hesitation. He'd made his decision. Wood let out a whoop and punched the air.

And then Madam Hooch was there. "You have a replacement?" She asked.

"Yes." Oliver answered, pointing to Batman. "Him."

Hooch looked Bruce up and down with a critical eye. "You're not a wizard and you're not a student…" She said thoughtfully. "So I'm not sure if that's allowed."

"Well what does the rules say exactly?" Harry asked, his voice taught.

Madam Hooch pondered this for a moment, before reaching into the pocket of her robe and pulling out a small worn booklet. She flipped through a couple of pages and stopped on one.

"If there is an injury and a player cannot resume play, than that player can be replaced within five minutes time by an eligible person of the captains choosing and that is approved by the referee." She read quietly, before slipping the book back into her pocket and turning back to Batman. "It does not say that the person in question has to be a student or a wizard, so you are eligible there." She said. "But it does say 'approved by the referee'." She smiled as everyone held his or her breath. "So I guess it's _my _decision then, isn't it?" She concluded.

Deadly silence filled the stadium as the team stared at Madam Hooch, tension and hope controlling their every being.

"All right." She said finally. "I approve. He plays!"

The team let out a whoop of joy. They weren't going to forfeit! Gryffindor still had a chance to win the game!

"Someone get him a broom!" Wood declared, and Fred and George stopped their mad happy dance, racing off towards the sheds to retrieve Batman a broom for the game.

"The Gryffindor team has found a replacement!" Madam Hooch announced through her wand. "The Batman will be taking the place of Chaser Katie Bell for the remainder of the game!"

A deafening cheer rose up from the Gryffindor stands, echoed too by the Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's who came to watch the match, completely obscuring the outraged cries of the Slytherins.

"WHAT?" Marcus Flint, the Slytherin captain cried, racing up to Hooch, face red with fury. "You can't let _him _play!" He roared, pointing at Batman accusingly.

"Says who?" Madam Hooch said calmly.

"Says the rules!" The green clad Chaser screeched. "He's not a student! He's not even a _wizard_! He can't be allowed to play!"

"Actually I think he can." Madam Hooch said confidently, once again taking out her battered booklet and shoving it in the Slytherins face. The captain read the rules with angry eyes.

"I can't believe this!" He screamed, throwing the booklet to the ground. "This is completely unfair!"

"Too bad." Hooch said disdainfully, picking up the booklet and dusting it off systematically. "Now get out of my face before I disqualify you."

The Slytherin shot Batman a look of pure venom before stomping back to his own team.

Oliver smiled. "Now that was the highlight of my day." He muttered, before turning to Batman. "Do you know how to play?" he asked.

"Yes." Bruce said, reviewing everything that Harry and Ron had explained to him in his head in a few seconds and quickly going over what Hooch had taught him about flying. Mental images of Harry and the other players flying across the field danced across his brain, each move and tactic stored perfectly in it. He'd never really thought he'd use them, but he realized now that they might be all that'll keep him on his broom.

"Here!" Fred and George said in unison as they appeared back on the field, holding the nicest Comet Two-Sixty they could find in their hands. They handed it to Batman, who immediately mounted it, trying to get a feel for it.

"Can you give him a few minutes to practice?" Oliver asked Madam Hooch, nodding to their new player.

Hooch hesitated for a moment. "One minute." She said finally. "But don't push your luck, Wood."

Wood nodded, mounting his own broom and motioning for Batman to join him in the air. Bruce obliged, holding the Comet steady as he kicked off the ground and rose into the air.

The feeling wasn't unlike jumping off a building back in Gotham with his Bat-Glider, except for the fact that he was going the other direction. Bruce was surprised to find himself calm in comfortable, easily maneuvering the flying household object. The wind whistling in his ears, he flew up next to Wood.

Oliver seemed impressed. "You catch on fast." He commented. He motioned to Angelina Johnson below, and the girl Chaser obediently threw up the Quaffle, which Wood caught deftly in his left hand.

"All right, so you're a Chaser." The Gryffindor captain explained. "You work with Angelina and Alicia." He pointed to the two girls down below, who waved. "Your job is to keep this—" He held up the Quaffle, "In position of one of you three, and try to score on one of the Slytherins three hoops." He pointed to the three golden hoops on the opposite end of the field. "The Slytherin Chasers will try to stop you and get the Quaffle from you, so don't let them. You can always use Angelina and Alicia if you need help. And watch out for Bludgers. Got it?"

Batman nodded. It was like a giant game of keep away.

And Bruce had _always _been good at keep away.

Oliver smiled. "Great." He said. "I really think we can pull this off, if Harry manages to get the Snitch, that is. Lets do a couple practice throws."

Wood flew a little ways back and threw the Quaffle expertly at Batman, who caught the reddish ball with ease.

"Good!" Wood shouted, as he caught Bruce's return pass. "Now lets try a harder one!"

He threw the Quaffle hard, putting a spin on it, aiming directly for Batman's head. Instinctively, Batman rolled over, making him do a vertical three-sixty on his broom, and caught the Quaffle tightly in his right hand as he came around.

Once he'd righted himself, he threw it easily back to Wood.

The Gryffindor fifth year caught it, staring at him as if he was seeing him for the first time. He flew back over to Batman, eyes wide with wonder.

"Usually people just put their hands in front of their face and catch it." He told him, laughing slightly. "But that worked too. Where'd you learn to do _that_?"

"No where." Batman said truthfully. "It was just instinct. Spur of the moment."

"Seriously?" Wood asked in disbelievement.

"Seriously." Bruce said. "Years of crime fighting makes me quick on my feet." He added with a small smile.

"Times up!" Madam Hooch yelled, and Oliver and Batman returned to the ground with the rest of the team.

"He's _really _good." Wood said breathlessly, pointing at Batman with a look of absolute joy written on his face. "I've never _seen _someone do a move like that on their first time on a broom!"

Angelina and Alicia were looking at Batman with slight awe, all traces of doubt at his abilities gone. Fred and George were beside themselves with excitement, slapping Batman on the back and telling him how happy they were he was going to play.

"And you can do more moves like that, can't you Batman?" Harry asked excitedly, joy shinning in his eyes. The whole team turned to look at the Dark Knight expectedly.

"Yes." Bruce said confidently, something close to excitement also rushing through his veins as the act of flying triggered an adrenaline rush. He was already thinking through all the flips and other moves he had mastered through his training and years of crime fighting and adjusting them to work on the broomstick. He was sure he could do many flips and other moves, and he wasn't even slightly worried about falling. If he did, he always had his Bat-grapple, even if he was disqualified for using it.

Which reminded him. He turned to Hooch. "I take it I can't use any of my gadgets during the game?" He asked the referee.

Madam Hooch shook her head. "No, I can't allow that." She said. "I'll let you wear the belt, but if you use anything from it, it's a penalty."

Batman nodded. That was fair.

The gray-haired witch turned to Wood. "You're all ready?" She asked.

Oliver nodded. "Yes." He said, gripping his broom.

Hooch nodded. "Line up!" She yelled, and both teams lined up, facing each other.

"Captains shake hands!" Wood and Flint shook hands, grabbing each other in deathly-tight grips, staring each other down coldly.

"Mount your brooms!" The players mounted their brooms. Bruce tucked his cape gently behind him.

"Take to the air!" All the players kicked off from the ground and flew to their positions. Keepers to the rings, Seekers high above to find the Snitch, and Beaters scattered around, readying their Beater Bats for Bludgers. Batman stayed by Alicia and Angelina, along with the three Slytherin Chasers, hovering above Madam Hooch, eyes fixed on the red Quaffle that she held in her hand.

"On my whistle!" She shouted, before putting the silver instrument to her lips and blowing fiercely, throwing the reddish ball into the air.

Pandemonium broke out as all the Chasers dived for the ball. Batman's strategic mind was working a mile per minute, and as the ball flew through the air, he flew _away _from the Quaffle instead of towards it. So when the first player broke away from the pack of students, he was the first to see him. It was a Slytherin, Adrian Pucey, taking off towards the Gryffindor goal posts before Angelina or Alicia could make their way out of the flurry of Chasers to follow him.

But Batman had no such problem. He leaned forward on the broom handle and shot towards the Slytherin Chaser, surprising the student by how fast he caught up with him. Pucey tried to out fly him, but Batman was easily matching his speed, watching him intently as he read his body language. Once Pucey realized he couldn't fly faster than Bruce, his hands twitched slightly, and Batman knew that he was going to swerve to his left, away from him. But as the Slytherin started to turn, Bruce turned his broom horizontal to Pucey's broom, catching the Chaser off guard and blocking him with his body and broom so he could not complete the move. Surprised, Adrian tried to turn to the right, and in the act exposed the Quaffle wrapped tight under his arm to Batman. Without hesitating Bruce wrenched the red ball out of his grip, angled his broom up, and flew over Pucey, heading down the field in the opposite direction.

"And an amazing block and steal by the Gryffindor substitute Chaser!" Lee Jordan's commentary echoed across the field in Batman's ears. "He demonstrated a classic block, throwing the Pucey off guard so that he could take the Quaffle! Anybody know where he could've _learned _that?"

Smiling Bruce raced down the field, conscious of Angelina and Alicia a little ways off on either side of him, backing him up, and the wild cheers from the stands. He was surprised to hear a name being shouted and chanted among them, and it took him a moment to figure out what it was.

"BAT-MAN! BAT-MAN! BAT-MAN!" The chant was being yelled across the stadium at a huge volume. Batman was almost too shocked to keep flying. They were cheering on _him! _The thought was mind-boggling, but he didn't have time to take in the wonder if it. He had a more immediate problem.

Two Slytherins were closing in on him, one on either side. He could clearly see Flint and Pucey out of his peripheral vision, pure hatred written on their faces. He was about to climb higher, out of their range, when he realized the third Slytherin Chaser was above him, blocking that escape. A sense of dread washing over him, he looked down to see one of the Slytherin Beaters below him, effectively cutting off his exits and stopping him from trying any maneuvers.

He could no longer choose which was he was steering, only be directed by the tight formation the Slytherins were forming. And looking ahead, he could see where they were leading him.

One of the giant structures that held the stands for the viewers, draped with a Slytherin banner for decoration. He was going to crash into it, and the Slytherins all around him prevented him from steering away from it.

As the contraption loomed at him, coming up at incredible speed, Batman's mind assed the situation at an inhuman pace. And almost immediately, a plan formed in his mind.

The Slytherin banner was right in front of him now, and he was aware of the Slytherins suddenly swerving away as he entered his crash course. But at the last minute before he hit the tapestry, Batman put his plan into action.

And jumped off the broom.

Wind whistling in his ears, it seemed to happen in slow motion. He jumped off his broom, keeping the handle clutched tightly in his left hand, the Quaffle tucked under his right arm, as his momentum kept him flying towards the banner. Systematically, he put his feet out in front of him, knees to his chest, and as the structure neared he lashed them out, running up the wooden frame like it was the floor, using his momentum and speed to keep him from falling. And as his spine stretched towards the ground and he could no longer run, he executed a perfect back flip, pulling the Comet Two-Sixty back under him in the process, and landed smoothly back on the broom, the Quaffle still in his possession.

Turning his broom around, Batman continued racing down the field toward the Slytherin hoops.

The crowd was going nuts. "UNBELIEVEABLE!" Lee was screaming. "I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT! HE MANGAGED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE STANDS! HE JUMPED _OFF HIS BROOM_, AND DID A RUNNING BACKFLIP OFF THE SLYTHERIN BANNER! THIS IS ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS FOLKS!"

Batman smirked at the words. Never, in his whole life, did he ever dream that he'd be in a magical history book at a school of Witchcraft in Wizardry hidden outside of London.

How much weirder could this week get?

A movement out of the corner of his eye snapped Bruce's mind back into focus. He was almost at the Slytherin hoops now, and two of the Chasers had just flew in front of him, preparing to block his path. Even as his mind raced through countless possibilities of blocks they might use, he saw them level off, and realized exactly what they were doing.

One Slytherin was hovering horizontal to Batman, slightly higher than his pointed-eared head, and the other was just a little bit below him, also horizontal. There was only a tiny space left between them.

Too small of a space for both the broom and Batman to fit through.

The Slytherins had executed the move perfectly. They formed the block fast enough that Bruce was coming in too fast to dive or swerve. He would run head long into the two Chasers, knocking him off his broom, where as the two Slytherins horizontal positions gave them something to hold on to to stop them from falling from Batman's head-on crash. It would hurt, but the space between them would most likely help avoid any broken bones, and they should still be able to manage to stay on their brooms. That is, if they had practiced the move before, and knew how to brace themselves for impact.

And Batman had a feeling they wouldn't be using the move if they didn't know how to do it correctly.

In the split second it took for Bruce to analyze the situation, the solution came to him.

The block probably had some sort of fancy name here, but the problem it posed to Batman was not unlike one everyday skateboarders had all the time.

And knowing that gave him the solution.

As the colors green and silver flashed before his eyes at incredible speed, Bruce calculated his plan.

And in the last minute before he crashed into the tight formation of players, he once again jumped off his broom.

Just like when he'd done the flip off the banner, this move too seemed to go in slow motion for the Caped Crusader. One moment he was about to barrel head long into the two Chasers, the next he'd sprung off of the wooden handle of his Comet Two-Sixty and was catapulting up into the air, conscious of the Slytherins staring at him in surprise, jaws hanging open. He watched as his broomstick, still going a good couple miles per hour, whizzed through the opening between the Slytherins as he executed an impeccable front over the head of the top Chaser, smirking at Marcus Flint's astonished upside-down face as he went.

And then he was falling, feet first, legs spread wide, as his broomstick whooshed out from the space between the two stunned wizards to come out underneath him for a split second.

And in that split second, unerringly timed, Bruce landed back on the broom, the Quaffle still tucked neatly under his arm as he continued speeding towards the Slytherins three golden hoops like nothing had happened.

A deafening roar filled the stadium as the crowd leaped out of their seats in cheers. No one had _ever_ seen a Qudditch game like this before.

"AMAZING!" Lee Jordan yelled, voice hoarse from shouting his commentary above the crowd. "THE BATMAN AVOIDES THE SLYTHERINS BLOCK BY ONCE AGAIN JUMPING _OFF _OF HIS BROOM, DOING A FLIP OVER THE CHASERS, AND LANDING BACK ON HIS BROOM WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST OF ERROR! THIS IS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED! BATMAN'S LEAVING THE SLYTHERINS IN THE DUST WITH HIS SPECTACULAR MOVES!"

Bruce smiled again, unable to contain his glee at how well this was working out. He was not regretting his decision to play the game one bit. He hadn't had this much fun in months!

As the golden hoops neared him, Batman noticed flashes of red and gold on either side of him, and he realized Angelina and Alicia were now flocking him, both grinning from ear to ear. Angelina gave him a thumbs up, and Alicia pointed to the hoops.

Bruce got the message: "You're doing great. Keep going. Score. We got your back."

He nodded and sped ahead, conscious of the red Quaffle still clutched tightly under his right arm.

And then he had reached the Slytherin goal posts. The Keeper—a boy named Bletchly—was sitting on his broom, hovering loosely in front of the middle hoop, ready to dive if needed to stop Batman from scoring. He looked worried. Bruce smirked. Good. He should be.

Out of his peripheral vision, Batman could see Alicia and Angelina effectively blocking the Slytherin Chasers, stopping them from getting to Bruce before he could score. He had all the time in the world.

Un-tucking the Quaffle from it's position under his arm, Batman weighed the reddish sphere in his hand, contemplating his options, purposely taking his time and making the Slytherin Keeper even more nervous.

And then, without warning he flicked his arm to the right.

Immediately, Bletchly dived in front of the right hoop to stop the Quaffle, but the red ball never came that way. Turning his head, Bletchly was just able to see the blood red ball rocket through the middle hoop and realize his mistake.

He'd been tricked by the oldest trick in the book. He'd been faked out.

"AND THE BATMAN SCORES!" Lee screamed, voice cracking from the effort of making himself heard over the roar of the crowd. "TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR! THE SCORE IS SEVENTY-SIXTY WITH SLYTHERIN HOLDING THE LEAD BY A MEER 10 POINTS! THE GAME COULD BE HANGING IN THE BALANCE HERE, FOLKS! THIS IS A MATCH I THINK NOBODY WILL EVER FORGET!"

Smiling freely for the first time in a long while, Bruce did his victory lap around the field, much to the cheers and whoops of his fellow teammates. Glancing above him, Batman managed to catch Harry's eye, who grinned and mouthed "Nice job!" before returning to scanning the field for any sign of the Golden Snitch.

And then the game resumed. The Slytherins started with the Quaffle, forming a determined triangle as they raced towards the Gryffindor goal posts. As they flew down the field, Angelina came up alongside Bruce, who was hovering near the Gryffindor hoops, thinking.

"Do you have a plan?" She asked. "Or do you want Alicia and I to try something?"

"I have a plan." Batman answered, and quickly explained it to the Chaser, who jetted over to Alicia and repeated his words. Then the three of them took up their positions as the Slytherin Chasers neared.

Bruce hovered in front of the center hoop by Wood; Alicia flew off towards the right, and Angelina to the left.

Wood looked at Batman, confused. "What're you guys doing?" He asked worriedly. "I don't know this line up."

"Just trust me." Bruce said confidently. He was positive this would work, and would throw the Slytherins into disarray.

The triangle of Chasers was almost upon them. "Um, Batman, they're getting really close!" Wood shouted, doubt in his voice. "Wait for it." Bruce murmured.

Only when he could see the individual lines on the Quaffle did Batman lift up his hand with two fingers pointing to the sky, signaling to Angelina and Alicia.

Immediately, the two girls sprang into action, diving, swerving, loop-de-looping, and any other thing they could think off in front of and behind the Slytherins, blocking their line of view and confusing them, forcing them to spread out to get around them.

And when Marcus Flint approached the goal posts with the Quaffle, eyes lit with determination as he sped towards Wood, he didn't notice the black-clad figure just below him until he was too late.

Without warning, Batman flew straight upward, the tip of the handle of his Comet facing the sky as he rocketed up in front of Flint, snatching the Quaffle from his possession as the sudden whoosh of black fabric in front of his eyes disoriented him. By the time he recovered, Bruce was already halfway down the field, completely unchallenged by the other two Chasers, who were still being hit around by Angelina and Alicia.

"STOP HIM!" The Slytherin captain screamed, but it was already too late. Even as they gave chase to the Dark Knight, Flint realized it was hopeless. Bruce had already gotten too much of a head start. They would never catch up to him in time. He just had to hope that Bletchly would be able to stop him from scoring until they got there.

Bletchly hovered in front of the Slytherin goal posts determinedly as Batman came rocketing towards him. He wasn't going to let this stupid Muggle score on him again and make him look like a fool. He'd show him.

But as the Caped Crusader came closer, the Slytherin Keeper found himself looking at something completely unexpected. Batman wasn't _sitting _on his broom, he was _standing _on it!

And indeed he was. Balanced perfectly on the small rod of wood, Bruce rode the flying broomstick like a surfer, knees bent, coming up on the goal posts fast, the Quaffle still kept safely wrapped in his right arm. A smile he couldn't seem to wipe away was plastered to his face. This was, most certainly, the highlight of his week.

As he came within throwing distance, Batman kept the Comet facing the middle hoop and stopped, hovering in midair, before he did something no Chaser should ever do.

He threw the Quaffle straight up in the air.

Bletchly watched in amazement as Batman threw the reddish sphere straight up into the air, spiraling like some demented bird in the sunlight. And then his eyes bugged as he saw Bruce catapult himself up after it, body moving gracefully as he easily and deftly did half a back flip, knees in to his chest and butt straight up to the sky, cape flying madly around him. Then, as if in slow motion, he extended one of his legs and kicked the now falling Quaffle square in the middle, shooting it perfectly through the right hoop.

Bletchley didn't even dive for it.

And then Batman started to fall, positioning himself feet first, hands out at the ready as he grabbed onto the handle of his stationary broom, swinging underneath it and bringing himself back up onto the thin rod in one swift movement.

The crowd was shocked into silence. No one had ever scored like that before. Even Lee Jordan seemed lost for words.

"Witches and wizards." He said finally, voice hoarse. "I think we've just witnessed the first ever goal in Qudditch history scored by a back flip kick." He paused for dramatic effect. "Leaving the score seventy-seventy!" He suddenly exploded. "The game is tied!"

The effect was immediate. The crowd erupted into applause, all the houses except for Slytherin clapping as Batman flew back to take up his position by the Gryffindor goal posts for the resume of the game.

Except he never made it back. A sudden flash of gold and scarlet rocketed before Batman's eyes as Harry sped by him, following a small bright gold ball flying at incredible speeds.

It took a moment for Lee to figure out what was going on. "And Harry Potter has seen the Snitch!" he gasped, hurrying to cover the occurrence as the Slytherin Seeker raced after the first year, following the barely-visible gold sphere. "This could be then end of the game hear folks! And the score is tied! The winner might be in the balance!"

Batman watched Harry speed after the Golden Snitch, silently urging him on as the Slytherin Seeker pulled up beside him just behind him, also aiming to grab the tiny ball and win the game.

"Batman!" Alicia yelled, and Bruce looked up to see Flint racing down the field with the Quaffle towards the Gryffindor goal. Apparently the Slytherin captain wasn't going to wait around for the Snitch to be caught.

Tightening his grip on the broom handle, Batman sped off towards Flint. He was completely confident that Harry could capture the Snitch. He'd seen him grab the Remberall out of the air just the other day like a pro. All _he _had to do was keep the Slytherins from scoring, and let the Seekers do their job.

And that's exactly what he was going to do.

"It's all on you now, Harry." He murmured to himself.

Harry was diving, the wind moaning as he accelerated downward, all his concentration and focus directed at the little round gold ball that was speeding away from him about a foot away from his face, just out of reach. He was conscious of the Slytherin Seeker behind him, trying desperately to get in front of him with no success, and was also conscious of how close the ground was coming at him. A shiver of doubt ran through him. Could he pull out after a dive like this, so close to the ground?

But he couldn't give up now. The Snitch was there, right there. He needed to catch it. They had to win the game!

Suddenly, the Slytherin Seeker swerved away; unable to follow him downward, obviously worried about not being able to level out without hitting the ground as well. But Harry kept going, green eyes locked on the flying sphere. It was there…

And then suddenly, it was not there.

And then Harry was swerving upward, just barely managing to fly up without the tip of his broom crashing into the clean-cut grass, chocking madly.

Leveling out ten feet off the ground, he gagged and a small, very wet Golden Snitch fell out onto his palm.

It took at least a minute for the crowd—and Harry—to register what had happened.

He had caught the Snitch!

"I've got the Snitch!" He yelled, waving the small golden ball with sodden wings in the air triumphantly.

The confused crowd burst into cheers, since this must mean that the game was over, but nobody had ever seen the Snitch caught in such a way, or a point scored such as Batman had scored it, either. But nevertheless, Madam Hooch blew her whistle as Harry held up the ball in proof. Gryffindor had won!

"And an amazing end to the first match of the season!" Lee shouted happily, clearly jumping up and down with joy. "Harry Potter catches—er, swallows—the Snitch, ending the game and making it a Gryffindor victory with a score of two-hundred and twenty to seventy! I'm Lee Jordan and this—this is defiantly a game to remember!"

Cheers of celebration broke out. The points earned from the match had put Gryffindor in the lead for the House Cup!

And then the Gryffindor team touched down on the pitch and were mobbed by students. Batman found kids surrounding him, congratulating him, giving him slaps on the back, tugging and stepping on his cape to get a good look at him. It was incredibly awkward, and Bruce felt his face burning with the uncontrollable urge to get out of there. But that just didn't seem possible.

Somehow, Harry found his way over to him. "You did amazing!" He congratulated the Dark Knight. "I haven't seen anything like it!"

Bruce smiled slightly. "Thank you." He said modestly. "And nice catch by the way."

Harry grimaced. "Not really." He said. "It tasted horrible!"

And then Batman found himself with the uncontrollable urge to laugh, to chuckle at the obviously funny comment, but he squashed down as quickly as he felt it. No. He might have succumbed to the boys wishes and played Qudditch, but he wasn't going to give into him just yet. The decision of whether to embrace or shun Harry Potter was still yet to be made, and now was not the time for it.

Harry smile faltered as his joke was met with stony silence, and Batman could see disappointment in his eyes. "I'll see you back in the Common Room." he said, glancing side ways at him, all traces of his previous happiness gone. "I need to put my Nimbus away."

And then he was gone, lost in the crowd.

And Batman felt a wash of regret flow through him, sucking all the joy he'd been feeling right out of his body in the time it took for him to blink.

Back in the Common Room, Batman still found himself swamped by students wanting to talk to him and congratulate him. Bruce already had a headache from it all, and it was taking all his mental power not to snap at the eager first years asking for his autograph.

It was already fairly late, but the victory party for the win of the match seemed to be prepared to go all night, and none of the students seemed anywhere near ready to hit the hay.

The thought was horrifying to Batman.

Trying to separate himself from the gaggle of Gryffindor's, Bruce spotted Harry talking to Hermione. Distracting his fans by throwing a well-aimed Batarang in the air and imbedding it in the ceiling, he managed to retreat to the shadows, turning himself invisible.

Ignoring everyone else, Batman expertly maneuvered through the dark spots of the crowded room until he was just to the left of Harry and Hermione, completely unnoticeable in a shadowy corner.

"It was like he was there and then…he was gone." Harry was saying, his voice sounding lost and confused. "I was talking to him, and he was looking at me, listening, and then he went all…cold. It was like he changed from one person to another in a split second. From the Batman I've started to get to know, to the one I thought he was when I first met him. From the semi-nice one to the cold and silent one."

Bruce grimaced silently. He had a sinking feeling his conflicting feelings for Harry hadn't gone completely unnoticed.

Hermione was nodding in agreement. "I know what you mean." She sighed. "It's like he can't decide which one to be around us. Nice enough to hold a conversation with, or cold, silent and someone you want to stay clear of. Frankly, I'm surprised he's opened up to us at all, and I'm still not sure why he has. Something about you Harry. It's something about you that makes him act differently."

"You think?" Harry said, clearly surprised. He thought about it for a moment. "Then why did he go all cold when I was talking to him today then?" He asked slowly.

Hermione shook her head. "I'm not sure." She said truthfully. She considered it for a moment. "I think he might be just starting to realize how he's acting." She said wisely. "And his nature is to pull back and stop, but for whatever reason he still wants to connect with you. So he keeps going back and forth, and he can't make a decision on which he wants: nice or mean. Silent or conversational…well, semi conversational, but you know what I mean."

Harry nodded. "I think you're right." He said. He understood what Hermione was talking about completely. Conflicting feelings. He was having similar ones towards Batman as well.

Hermione smiled kindly. "Just…be careful Harry." She said softly. "Don't get too attached. And don't be surprised if he…closes up on you. Remember, we don't know much about him. And from what we've both gathered, I don't think he's much of a social guy, and he's already said outright that he has no love for magic. So prepare yourself in case he…well, shuns you because you're a wizard."

Harry nodded. "Yeah." He whispered sadly. "Thanks Hermione. I appreciate all this. I…needed someone who could help make sense of it all."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "I'm always here if you need me." She said quietly. "Are…are you going to come back to the party?"

Harry shook his head. "No," he said. "No, I think I'm going to go to bed. I'm tired."

Hermione smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "Get some rest." She said. "You deserve it."

Harry nodded and headed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Hermione hovered at the bottom of the staircase for a moment, before heading back into the mob of students to find Ron.

Batman stayed in the corner for a little while, standing still as a statue, digesting what he had just overheard.

What Hermione had said about him was spot on. He _was_ having conflicting thoughts about Harry, and he _was_ suddenly conscious of how almost out of character he was behaving towards the eleven-year-old wizard. And she was right that there was something about Harry that attracted him: the aspect that both their parents had been murdered before their eyes at an incredible young age, scarring them both forever.

And she was right about how he kept switching from semi-nice and inviting to completely silent and scary.

Something about Harry and Hermione observing this bothered Bruce. Somehow, he knew that if he didn't make the decision of whether to accept Harry or not, than Harry was eventually going to get fed up with Batman's silence and make the decision for him. Despite how conflicted he was on the subject, Bruce didn't want that. For some reason, he felt that he needed to make this decision on his own.

Sadness and frustration clouding his brain, Batman strode out of the shadows and joined Ron and Hermione over by the fire, staying just within their sights at the edge of the big shadow the fireplace casted. They made no move to talk with him, and although he thought this might be a sign that Hermione had shared her thoughts about him to Ron, he was grateful to them. He needed to clear his mind with some silent meditation.

But he never got the chance to. At that moment, Harry came bolting back down the stairs, face ashen, and rocketed over to Ron and Hermione, pushing his way through the crowd. Both of them looked alarmed at the expression on his face. "What's wrong?" Batman asked worriedly at the sight of his expression, coming out of the shadows and striding up to Harry with purpose in his step. Something had upset the wizard, that was for sure.

"It's my Nimbus 2000!" He moaned. "It's gone!"

"WHAT?" Ron roared in disbelief, but Batman was already gone, pushing past Harry and causing the crowd to part as he ran towards the boys' dormitory and disappeared up the steps.

As he charged into Harry's dormitory, a mess with clothes, books and other assorted items in Harry's frantic search to find his broom, Batman was just in time to look our the window and see a female figure, dressed in a skin-tight black outfit, a broomstick held in one hand, and a white marble statue in the other race down one of the roofs of the towers, jump down, and disappear into the night.


	11. The Mirror of Erised

Batman was out the window even before Harry, Ron and Hermione barged into the room. Grim determination flowing through his veins as a sense of calm from having done this millions of times before and loving every minute of it washed over him. His black-clad feet raced across the shingled roof top by Harry's window, the climbing grips on the bottom of his ninja tabi boots easily helping him stay balanced as he sped towards the spot where the figure he saw had disappeared.

He had no doubt who it was. His mind had already kicked into overdrive, racing through all the possibilities and assessing the situation as it calculated his movements automatically. His cape billowing out behind him in the breeze he was creating, he barely even registered Harry yelling at him through the window. He couldn't loose her. This might be his only chance to catch her and possible receive permission to finally leave Hogwarts and go back to Gotham. Mission completed.

He reached the end of the tower roof, and without hesitating he vaulted himself off. As he fell, he noticed the different turrets and other assorted objects jutting out from the sides of the castle that Selina must have used to get down. But he didn't have time to use those. He had a much simpler and much faster way.

As he reached the halfway mark, Bruce carefully slid out his Bat-grapple. Aiming it unerringly at a flagpole jutting out about seven or eight feet off the ground, he shot it, the monofilament wire shooting out at incredible speed and the titanium grappling hook springing open. The hook fastened itself tightly to the pole, and Batman held onto the gun with both black leather gloves as he swung under the metal object, landing in a crouch on the soft grass, his memory fabric cape falling like a blanket around him. He re-tracked the grapple and placed it back in his belt before taking off towards the edges of Hogwarts. He didn't know which way Catwoman had headed exactly, but he knew that she was going to try an make an escape.

As he ran, he wished dearly for the Batmobile, or even for Robin's R-cycle. Anything that could give him more ground. Selina had the head start, and the advantage. She just needed to get out. Batman needed to find her _and _catch up with her. He didn't know why she wanted Harry's broomstick, but if the Die Katze was magical—and Batman was pretty sure it was-it could have very possible given Selina magical knowledge. She could easily know how to use the Nimbus. And if she knew that, then she could use the broom to strengthen her odds considerably.

Catwoman had always been powerful. Sneaky, smart, agile, and very attractive. But she was never extremely ruthless; she just pilfered either for herself, or for others in need. Bruce remembered once when he had caught her giving an old woman a bag of fish she'd stolen to feed her many cats. She wasn't really a "villain," just a very talented thief…who occasionally liked to steal objects of her liking. Batman knew her…and liked her. Normally, under any other circumstance, he would just let her get away.

But the statue she stole wasn't just some sort of Gotham Museum display. It was a powerful and highly dangerous magical object, that Bruce was fairly sure of now. There was no telling how it could have affected Selina. He knew she had possessed McGonagall and Mrs. Norris, and now she had somehow broken into Hogwarts and stole Harry's broom. Batman had no doubt that the Die Katze had a part to play in all three incidents…and he had a bad feeling that Catwoman might no longer be in control.

He had already covered much ground. He'd left Hagrid's Hut far behind, the Forbidden Forest starting to disappear as the front gate came into view in front of him. And what he saw almost made his heart stop.

His worst fear about the Die Katze had come true. Batman found he could not move any further, no matter how hard he willed his legs to keep moving. He was frozen in place; a stones throw away from Catwoman, who was standing, a cruel smile on her lips, in front of the gate. She was watching him with interest, and Bruce noticed with horror that her eyes were glowing a faint red behind her masks' glasses. In her hand, the Die Katze vibrated, it's ruby eyes glowing menacingly.

"_Hello Batman."_ She whispered. It was Selina's voice, pretty and sweet with the tiniest hint of danger, cunning and playfulness in it. But yet it wasn't Selina's. There was another voice, wrapped into the one he knew so well. Evil and ancient, full of malice and excitement.

Bruce tried to speak, but his mouth would not open. He was powerless, trapped in whatever spell the Die Katze was casting_. "You are a brave one."_ Selina/the Die Katze said. _"I did not think anyone would be foolish enough to follow me, let alone a powerless, non-wizard like you. My host respects you and your mission, and she thinks very highly of you, but I would have thought you would have been smart enough not to even think of challenging me."_

Suddenly, Batman found his mouth working. He realized that whatever force that was in the statue and controlling Selina was enjoying this, and wanted to hear him plead. Well, that wasn't going to happen. He kept his mouth firmly shut. If she was going to kill him, fine. He knew it would happen one day. But if he was going to go out, he was going to go out with some dignity.

Catwoman cocked her head slightly, sizing him up. _"Hmm."_ She murmured. _"A silent one, eh? I like that. And for that, I will not destroy you. Not…yet. I'll leave you alive until I reach my full strength. Then I can plan a very special death for you."_ She grinned evilly. "_Yes." _She whispered, almost to herself. _"__**Very**__ special. Goodbye, Batman. Until we meet again." _

And then she deftly saddled Harry's Nimbus 2000, riding it lady like with both feet hanging off one edge. Throwing Batman a mock kiss, she rose slowly into the air until she was level with the top of the gate. Then the Die Katze began to glow with bright red light that swirled around its delicate frame, making the shadows dance wildly. As this happened, Batman heard a sizzling sound and watched as the invisible magical barrier partly melted away, leaving a perfect circle in a sea of semi-visible haze. Selina and the cat flew easily though, before mounting the broom regularly, winking back at Bruce, and taking off into the night.

The moment she was out of his line of sight, Batman felt the force that was keeping him in place lift. He clenched his jaw, white eyes narrowing down in rage. In vain, he aimed a jiu-jitsu kick at the gate to no effect, and threw a Batarang up to the spot where the Die Katze had made the hole in the barrier. It bounced back to him, smoking slightly. The enchantments were working again, strong as ever.

And Catwoman, along with the Die Katze, had escaped with Harry's broom.

Defeated and furious with himself, Batman angrily made his way back to the castle.

Batman found Dumbledore waiting for him at the double doors when he returned. He didn't look mad, only somber. "I take it she escaped?" He asked. It was a simple question, and Bruce detected no hint of sneer in it. Whoever Albus Dumbledore was, he seemed to have nothing against the Dark Knight, or his objectives. He just didn't trust him.

Bruce nodded slowly, but didn't say anything.

"Let us come to my office." Dumbledore suggested. "Then we can speak of this matter in private."

Batman nodded as he noticed the crowd of whispering children huddled a ways down the hall by the doors, staring at them. He entered the castle and followed Albus through the winding halls and moving staircases before reaching the stone gargoyle once more. "Lemon Drops." Dumbledore murmured, and the two of them headed up the secret stairs to the Headmaster's office.

The old wizard took a seat behind his desk and motioned to Bruce to sit down. As he had before, Batman ignored the gesture. Dumbledore didn't seem at all offended, simply folding his hands and peering at Bruce over his half-moon spectacles.

"Tell me what happened." He said softly, the four words coming across like a father asking his child what was making him cry.

Batman hesitated for a moment before answering. "Harry came down, yelling about his broom having gone missing." He said slowly, explaining carefully. "So I rushed to his dormitory just in time to see Catwoman jump off the tower with the broom and the Die Katze. I gave chase. She stopped me at the gate, and froze me in place with some sort of spell. Then she broke through the magical barrier and disappeared."

Dumbledore took this in thoughtfully. "Did she say anything to you?" He asked.

Bruce hesitated for a millisecond before nodding. "She mocked me, talking about what her 'hoist' thought about me. And then she said she wasn't going to destroy me yet, but wait until she was at full power to prepare a 'special death' for me."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. " 'Full power'?" He echoed.

Batman nodded. "Yes." He said slowly. "I don't think the Die Katze was in full control of Catwoman. She still partly had Selina's voice, and she seemed to need the Die Katze to be with her to break through the barrier."

Albus closed his eyes tiredly. "So we still have time." He murmured. "She is not yet at full power, though the Nimbus 2000 will no doubt help her speed up the process." He opened his eyes. "We need to act fast."

Batman narrowed his eyes. " 'We'?" He repeated uncertainly.

"Yes, we." Dumbledore said confidently. "I need you to tell me all that you know about Catwoman."

Bruce shook his head. "Not without you allowing me to come and go as I please." He said firmly.

Albus hesitated, and Batman could see uncertainty glistening in his blue eyes as he recalled Bruce's demands a few days ago.

"One more day." He said finally. "I will give you one more day to prove yourself to me. You have warmed up to Hogwarts nicely in the short time that you have been here. Much nicer than I first predicted. But after what happened with Severus, I still do not know if I can entirely trust you."

He paused. "If you can have someone vouch for you by tomorrow morning, I will grant you the liberty of coming and going to Hogwarts as you please." He said sincerely. "And if I allow this, you in return must give me all your knowledge of this Catwoman."

Bruce nodded, satisfied. "It's a deal." He murmured, before silently turning on his heel and making his way to the door.

"Batman?"

Bruce turned to look at the Headmaster, who was still sitting behind his desk, hands folded.

"Yes?" Batman asked politely, struggling to keep his voice even. He just wanted to get out of here.

"Catwoman wasn't the only reason you jumped out of that window tonight, was it?"

Bruce stared at the wizard for a long moment, looking straight into those searching blue eyes. His pupiless eyes turned to slits at the words. Then he opened up the door, walked out, and slammed it firmly behind him.

Batman made his way back the Gryffindor Common Room slowly, adrenaline and fury still flowing through his veins. But despite his failure to stop Catwoman, and his furious departure from the Headmaster's office, there was a new spring in his step.

He'd just made headway with Dumbledore. He'd taken one giant step towards his freedom from this place. If he got someone to vouch for him in one day, the Headmaster would give him a Get Out Of Hogwarts Free Card.

Though there was only one problem with that.

Who was going to vouch for him?

His first answer popped immediately into his head. Harry. Harry would vouch for him.

But then the follow up doubts crept in. Would Harry do that? After how Batman had treated him after the Qudditch game, maybe not. And if Batman asked him for something like this, to tell Dumbledore that he trusts him and feels comfortable with him, it would be the point of no return. If Bruce asked Harry to do that for him, he'd be making the decision.

To embrace Harry instead of cut himself off from him.

And despite how much he still wanted to leave Hogwarts, Batman knew he wasn't ready to make that decision. Not yet. He still wasn't sure, still didn't have all the evidence. He felt like he was waiting for something, something to happen that would show him the correct path to take.

But whatever it was, he hoped it would happen fast. He only had one day.

Or maybe not. Dumbledore never said it had to be Harry that vouches for him, just someone. Hermione? No. She had been fairly nice to him that one night when they went to the library together, and she had given him room to prove himself, but he knew she still didn't completely trust him, and wasn't going to in the time span of a single day.

Ron? No. He liked Batman, but only because he had awesome gadgets, cool karate moves, and scared the living daylights out of Snape and Malfoy. He'd have no evidence of trust to give to the Headmaster. A scary vision of Ron vouching for him to Dumbledore ran through Batman's mind, causing him to shudder.

"So, Ron, you wish to vouch for Batman? You believe him trustworthy?"

"Yes Sir."

"And why is that?"

"Cause he's awesome! And he's strong…and…and smart…and he kicks butt! And…he's awesome!"

Batman shook his head. No. Not Ron.

Who else? Fred and George? No, they wouldn't take him seriously. Wood? Maybe. After his performance at the Qudditch game, Oliver would be more than willing to trust and vouch for him. But Wood had only really just met Batman tonight at the game. They only evidence of trust would be how Bruce stood up to the challenge and helped Gryffindor win the game. That wasn't near enough reason for Dumbledore to trust him and let him come and go.

There was only one person who could possibly offer enough evidence of trust in Batman to Dumbledore in the entire castle.

Harry.

Bruce bit his lip quietly, slowing his walk, in no hurry to reach the Common Room now. No matter how much he wanted to get out of this place, the conflict surrounding Harry still stood strong. If he was going to ask Harry to go to Dumbledore and convince his trust in the Dark Knight to him, then Batman was going to ask him to do it in knowing that the decision was made, that he was going to embrace the young wizard, and renounce his grudges on magic.

And if he didn't choose that path…then he might be stuck here a little longer than planned.

But no matter how desperately he wanted to get out here and stop Catwoman, and most of all, go back to Gotham, his home, he was _not _going to manipulate Harry. He'd done that sort of thing before, and it always ended up backfiring in his face. He wasn't going to dig the hole any deeper around him.

Deciding this, Bruce moved on to the hardest part: choosing. Should he embrace Harry, or was he going to shun him and wait for another opportunity to get out? Despite the need to leave, Batman wanted to be completely sure which was the right choice before he made up his mind. But he still wasn't sure, still didn't have all the evidence. The urgency for a quick decision was pressurizing, but Bruce knew he couldn't make a final decision now. He wasn't ready. If he chose a path now, then he would be acting hastily, rashly. And if there was one thing Batman _hated _doing, it was making rash decisions.

No. He'd wait. If only for a little longer.

He'd reached the portrait of the Fat Lady now. Before he even opened his mouth to say the password, the Fat Lady recognized him and swung open.

A tensely silent Common Room greeted him. Everyone was standing stock still, staring hopefully at Batman as he slowly entered the room. The Qudditch team was standing by Harry, who was sitting on the couch with Ron and Hermione. The look on his face was unreadable, but Bruce saw a small flicker of hope run through his bright green eyes at the sight of him.

Slowly, regretfully, Batman shook his head.

The effect wasn't pleasant. Harry bit his lip, and his hands curled up into fists. Angry filled his eyes, but not directed at Batman. Catwoman had stolen his _brand new _broomstick. That wasn't going to go down well.

Wood had a fit, stamping his foot in a miniature tantrum. "I can't _believe _this!" He croaked. "Our star Seeker gets a brand new, top notch Nimbus 2000, and it gets _stolen _right after the first game! It's absolute _rubbish!_"

The rest of team was watching their captain, faces grim. The Gryffindor's all murmured in outrage around them.

And then Harry got up from the couch. The Common Room became silent as the Boy Who Lived slowly walked up to Batman and stood in front of him, looking up at his masked face. In any other situation, it would have been comical. A roughly five-foot tall kid standing in comparison to a six-foot two-inch tall grown man in a very scary and imposing Bat-Suit. But there was nothing comical in the picture.

"What happened?" Harry asked, his voice just above a whisper. Emotions rang in the two words, more than just loss and anger over the abduction of his broom. Batman also detected worry. Harry knew that it had to be something very powerful to have stopped Bruce from rescuing his broom, and he knew that is was Catwoman who took it. Batman had no idea how much Harry knew about the Die Katze, but if he knew as much as Batman, than he knew how dangerous Catwoman was becoming.

Inwardly, Bruce took a deep breath, before retelling his story, leaving out only the part when Catwoman/the Die Katze had mocked and threatened him.

Harry listened in silence, along with the whole rest of the Common Room.

Shocked quiet met his words when he had finished. Harry didn't move as he stared at Batman straight in his white eyes.

"She's getting stronger, isn't she?" He asked softly, so only he could hear.

Solemnly, Batman nodded.

Harry looked down. "Thank you for trying, Batman." He whispered, before turning slowly around and making his way towards the boys' dormitory.

Once he disappeared, the Common Room fell into an eerie, uncomfortable silence. And then, trudging in defeat, the Gryffindor Qudditch team headed for their rooms. Ron and Hermione followed, and soon the whole of Gryffindor led a precision of male and females, both going up their own dormitories' stairs. Soon, the Common Room was empty.

And Batman was left on his own.

The next morning, the Gryffindor's seemed to have partly gotten over the loss of their Seeker's Nimbus. Though Harry was still slightly upset, he seemed to be handling it well, and life at Hogwarts went on as usual.

But despite the nice weather outside and general happiness, Batman was on edge. Dumbledore said he had one day to prove himself and recruit someone to vouch for him. That meant today was the day he would finally make the decision he was dreading. Sitting at the breakfast table, toast untouched, Bruce watched Harry carefully. He could detect no hard feelings from his failure last night, and the young wizard showed no sign of holding a grudge for how Bruce had treated him after the match. A flicker of hope ran through the Dark Knight Detective. He might be able to prove himself yet.

But nevertheless, he was still unsure what side he should take. He still felt he should hold off before approaching Harry, or even more important, hold off on the decision itself. It was like he was waiting for something, but still couldn't figure out what.

Still lost in thought, Batman left the Gryffindor table as Harry, Ron and Hermione finished and got up, following them to their first class. He didn't pay attention to anything the teachers said. He didn't really care, and declined Harry's offer to participate. His mind was too conflicted to focus on useless wizard skills. He needed to think.

But even though the Golden Trio respectively gave him room throughout the whole of their classes, Batman still found himself no closer to an answer to his dilemma than when he had first realized his predicament. It was frustrating, but no matter what evidence he put on each side, it always balanced out. It was too even, he couldn't outweigh either one of the two choices. He was stuck. What he really needed was someone to confide in, someone who would understand his situation and help him come to terms with it. His first thought was Dick. Then Tim. Nightwing and Robin were his adopted sons, and knew him the best, second only to Alfred. They would know which path he should take.

But Timothy Drake and Richard Grayson were not here. They were millions of miles away, in Gotham City, probably fretting and searching for him everywhere. Batman had a feeling the whole of the Justice League was on the lookout for him now that he'd been gone for a full five days. But no matter how hard his allies searched, Bruce knew the chances of them finding Hogwarts were very slim. None of them knew it existed, and a magical school was the last place any of his partners would guess to find a strictly non-magic hero like him. Batman himself wasn't sure exactly where he was; only that is was close to London…or at least, that was his best guess. It was impossible to tell from the inside. It was like he was on a whole separate planet, completely detached from the rest of the world. Or at least, that's what it felt like to the Caped Crusader.

No, Batman had to take care of this problem on his own.

Classes ended and dinner came. Batman, mind in turmoil, asked McGonagall if he could eat in the Common Room. He just wasn't in the mood for a large hall filled with chattering teenagers right now. She empathetically allowed it, magically having his meal appear for him at his little table in Gryffindor Tower. Though the food was delicious, Batman ate little, fiddling with his Batarang loosely, lost in thought.

Why couldn't he just make the stupid decision? It was driving him nuts!

Throwing his Batarang angrily at the wall, Bruce grinned in satisfaction as the bat-shaped blade embedded itself in the plaster.

He hoped something would give him a kick in the rear to get him going soon, cause otherwise, he was looking at a couple months in Wizard Captivity.

The thought made the Dark Knight shudder. He liked the school more than he ever thought possible…but not _that _much.

Sitting at the Gryffindor table, Harry glanced for the tenth time at Batman's empty seat. Something had been bothering the Caped Crusader all day. Harry could practically see the gears in his head turning during his classes, struggling to figure out whatever that it was on his mind. The young wizard had no idea what was bothering the American so much, but he had a bad feeling it might have something to do with him.

But what?

A hunch told him that it might be connected to the jumbled feelings Harry suspected the Dark Knight was feeling towards him. He felt the same way towards the masked man: a mixture of confusion, hurt, caution, and longing.

Part of him just screamed to throw caution to the winds and confront him, but Harry restrained himself. Somehow, he knew that this was not his choice to make. The decision of whether Batman was going to be his friend or a detached acquaintance was on the detective's shoulders. Not his.

All he needed to do was hold his tongue, and wait.

Harry hated waiting.

"Harry?" Surprised, Harry looked up to see Hermione standing by him, looking at him worriedly.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, fine." Harry said normally. "Why?"

"Well, everyone else has already left, and you where just sitting there…staring at the wall…"

Suddenly conscious that they were the only two left at the Gryffindor table, Harry's face burned. "Sorry." He said as he stood up. "I was…lost in thought."

Hermione nodded. "I thought so." She said, as the two of them made their way out of the hall. "You looked…troubled. Was it something to do with Batman?"

Harry hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah." He said quietly. "Something's…bothering him, and I'm not entirely sure what. But I think it might have something to do with me."

Hermione bit her lip. "He did seem to have something on his mind today…." She said slowly. "But if whatever it is concerns you, I'm sure he'll talk to you about when he's ready."

"You think?" Harry asked, an edge of doubt in his voice. Batman didn't seem the type who talked about his feelings much.

Hermione nodded confidently. "Yes, I really do." She said truthfully. "He sees something in you Harry. Something he doesn't see in anyone else. You're connected somehow…I just don't think he knows how to respond to it."

Subconsciously, Harry flicked his hair out of his face, his lightning scar briefly visible. "I think you're right…" He said slowly. "But…what does that mean for me?"

Hermione thought about this for a long moment, the two of their footsteps echoing on the steps of the stairs as they made their way up to the Common Room for curfew.

"I…I don't know." She said finally, giving him a sympathetic look. "I think it all rests on whether he decides to accept you or not. You…you might just need to wait, and let the future unfold for itself. I don't think there's anything else you can do."

Silence filled the halls, except for the soft patter of their feet as the two first years came to the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Thank you, Hermione. I think you're right." Harry said softly, so the Fat Lady wouldn't hear. "I don't know what I'd do without you and Ron."

She smiled at him. "No problem." She said kindly. "I'm just full of wisdom."

A smile crept onto Harry's face at this, and together the two friends entered the Common Room.

It was mostly empty. Some tired students were trying to get some studying done, but most seemed to be going to bed early. Just the sight of the few Gryffindor's who were left made Harry yawn.

"I'm going to bed." Hermione announced. Ron wasn't anywhere to be seen, and the first year witch wanted to read a new book she had just checked out. "Are you going to stay up?" 

Harry hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm tired." He said. "I think it's best if I get some sleep."

Hermione nodded, stifling a yawn herself. "See you in the morning!" She said cheerfully, before disappearing up the girls' dormitory stairs.

Yawning, Harry started to make his way towards the boys' stairs, but stopped short as he felt a pair of eyes on him. Turning, he could just make out the shape of Batman, watching him from one of the shadowy corners. A shiver went up his spine, and turning around, he raced up the stairs to his dormitory.

Ten minutes later, Harry collapsed into bed. Ron was already asleep, snoring loudly. Neville, Dean and Seamus were also unresponsive. Carefully, he removed his circular glasses and placed them by his bed before putting his head down gratefully on the soft pillow.

Except it wasn't soft.

Startled, Harry felt something hard meet his cheek. Sitting up, his hands felt a small package, laid carefully on top of his pillow. Curiosity canceling out his exhaustion, Harry shoved his glasses back on, reaching for his wand on his bedside table. Raising the tip, he thought back to a spell Hermione had used last week.

"Lumos." He whispered. Immediately, a soft white glow illuminated his face, revealing a small parcel, wrapped neatly with a note tucked carefully in the ribbon. Heart beating with curiosity and excitement, Harry slid the small piece of paper from the package, moving his wand closer to read the loopy handwriting on it.

**Your father left this in my possession before he died.**

**It is time that it is returned to you.**

**Use it well.**

The note was unsigned. Confusion muddled Harry's now suddenly very awake brain. His father? What could it be?

Urgency now claiming his actions, Harry raced to unwrap the parcel. As the paper slid away, his fingers met a light, watery material, shimmering under the light of his wand.

Delicately, Harry picked up the long, shinny material, running the glossy fabric through his fingers.

What _was _it?

Wrapping a corner of the gift around his hand, he raised it closer to the tip of his wand, gasping at the sight that met his eyes.

He could feel the fabric on his skin, bathed in the light of his wand.

But he could no longer see it…or his hand.

Looking down at the rest of the fabric in amazement, he found the folds that were not covering him still visible. With surprise, he realized it was a cloak.

A cloak of invisibility.

Awe coursing through him, Harry ran the cloth through his fingers again. It was like woven water, smoother than silk, lighter than air.

Had this really been his fathers?

Use it well, the note had said. Use it well…

Slowly, Harry swung his feet around and got up from his bed, wrapping the cloak carefully around his shoulders. He had left his wand, still glowing, on the bedspread, and when he looked at the small mirror on his bedside table he found that his whole torso was missing, making his head look like it was floating in midair.

A cloak of invisibility. Use it well.

A smile creeping on his face, Harry realized what this meant. He could go anywhere in the castle after curfew and Filch would never know! He could do anything, see anything…

Use it well.

For a brief moment, Harry debated whether to wake Ron. Surely his redheaded friend would like to go out and try the cloak out with him? But he quickly squashed the idea. He would tell Ron later. The cloak had been given to him…and it had been his fathers. He wanted to try it out on his own…at least for the first time.

Grabbing his wand off the bed and softly putting its light out, Harry stuffed it in his pocket before throwing the cloak completely over his head. It was an incredibly funny feeling, walking out of the dormitory without seeing his hands of the doorknob, or his legs and feet for that matter. He was halfway down the stairs, energized by excitement, when he remembered Batman.

He slowed as he reached the bottom step, scanning the dark Common Room with invisible eyes.

It took him a moment, but then he spotted him. Wrapped up in the shadows, almost as invisible as him in the blackness. White eyes staring past him, completely silent but defiantly not asleep.

Batman.

Swallowing hard, Harry started having second thoughts about his late-night experiment. Even though the Dark Knight couldn't see him, Harry doubted that Batman would not notice the portrait swinging open without anyone there to have touched it.

Maybe he should go back to bed.

But he had so wanted to try out his new gift! He craved to walk around the halls unnoticed, pondering why such a thing had been given to him and who had taken the liberty to do it. He didn't want Batman's silent vigil to prevent that.

_If he follows me, fine. _He thought firmly to himself. _He doesn't know it's me, and he can't see me, so he won't be able to tell where I'm going._

Taking a deep breath, Harry wordlessly made a beeline for the portrait hole.

After a worry-filled day, Batman was grateful for the darkness and silence of the Common Room after all the Gryffindor's had retired for the night. But although he tried to take a small standing nap, he couldn't. His mind was too awake, whirling with many thoughts, observations, and turmoil over his decision.

He had to make up his mind before tomorrow morning, or there was no way Dumbledore was going to let him out of here anytime soon.

Pushing the unhappy thoughts away, Batman carefully forced himself to meditate, using the silent, standing way of calming down that he had learned from a Sensei in Europe. Before he knew it, half-an-hour had passed with no disruption and his mind had calmed.

That is, until the portrait swung open.

Instantly alert, Batman watched the entrance to the Common Room carefully, without ever having moved his head. But no one was there. It was like the portrait had been opened by a ghost.

Except that a ghost couldn't do that.

Before Bruce could come up with an explanation, the portrait swung closed again.

And this time Batman acted.

Sprinting towards the portrait hole, Bruce ripped it open and vaulted outside. "Hey!" The Fat Lady screeched, but Batman ignored her. Listening carefully, he could just make out the sound of running feet turning the corner down the end of the corridor.

Swiftly, he made his way to the corner, peeking his head ever so slightly around.

No one was there.

But the portrait hadn't opened on its own.

Someone was invisible, and they had left the Common Room. Of that, Batman was sure. But who? He hadn't got the impression that the witches and wizards of Hogwarts could turn themselves invisible, but it could be possible. He still knew so little about this magical world.

But he did know one thing: no student was supposed to be out after curfew, invisible or no.

And anyone who came out of the Common Room must be a student.

Standing still as a statue, controlling his breathing so it was barely noticeable, Batman concentrated all his senses at the hallway.

He could just make out the small sound of breathing, short and slightly winded from the dash down the hall, coming faintly from the right wall by a suit of armor. Batman tensed. Whoever it was that was there, they seemed to know that Bruce would try to follow them, and was hoping that if they stayed in one spot, he wouldn't find them and give up.

Well, that wasn't going to happen.

But that didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun with this unfortunate little rule breaker.

Preparing himself mentally to look convincing, Bruce strode into the hall, making a point to have his gaze linger in every shadowy corner in the corridor. He heard a sharp intake of breath as he slowly ran his fingers over the suit of armor, checking inside it thoroughly. Stopping in the middle of the corridor, he pretended to listen carefully, before moving on into the next hall.

Once he was out of sight, he pulled out his Bat-grapple and hoisted himself up into the rafters above, allowing himself a small smile of triumph. Once the invisible student thought the coast was clear, they'd keep moving, thinking Bruce had left to search for them somewhere else. And then Batman would follow them from above, using the small, barely noticeable blinking red light of his Batchip to track the invisible persons movements.

The Batchip that he'd placed on the curfew breaker when he'd been searching the suit of armor, his sensitive high-tech black gloves merely brushing the hint of invisible fabric as the three-centimeter long blinking chip hooked on.

He doubted the non-visible student even noticed his touch, it was so brief.

He had them now.

And sure enough, a couple moments later, the tiny red flashing light that Batman had been straining his eyes to see appeared, bobbing down the hall with its invisible bearer. Soundlessly, Bruce followed it, using the rafters and buttresses to move his way easily after the fast-moving tiny light.

After a couple minutes, Batman realized he had no idea where he was, and he didn't think whoever he was following did either. He was starting to get bored with the whole follow-the-leader thing, and he was debating whether to jump on the unsuspecting invisible kid when he heard a voice coming from down the hall.

"See anyone, my pet?"

Freezing in his place on one of the buttresses, Batman looked down to see Mrs. Norris pad into the hall, looking around with her sharp yellow eyes. She was soon followed by Filch, hunched over a lantern, looking around with wearily.

Below him, Batman heard the invisible person take in a sharp breath, the hardly noticeable red light pushed up against the wall as Filch started to walk towards it. Hastily, the light disappeared in a slightly ajar doorway, the wooden door quivering slightly as the invisible figure darted through. And just in time. Filch's lantern swung over the spot where the mysterious student had been only moments before.

"C'mon my sweet, no one here." Filch said, moving on, his lantern swinging dangerously around him. Mrs. Norris meowed softly, lamp-like eyes staring up at Batman in the darkness, before she followed her master.

Bruce waited until they had gone before soundlessly dropping to the floor, black cape falling around him. Slowly, he edged open the door that his chip had disappeared into and made his way quietly inside.

The room was dark, but lit enough by a few lone lanterns for Batman to easily to see the one and only object in the room.

A mirror.

Tall and elegant, it was beautiful, almost as tall as the ceiling with an ornate gold frame and clawed feet. Words in a language Bruce did not recognize were carved across the top:

_Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi_

It was mesmerizing, but Batman was more focused on the figure that seemed to have just materialized out of nowhere, silky flowing cloak in his hand, the blinking Batchip attached to it.

Bruce's eyes bugged under his mask_. _

Harry.

What was _he_ doing here?

The eleven-year old wizard still hadn't noticed Batman, seeming too focused on the beautiful mirror in front of him. Slowly, he moved closer to it, the watery cloak that he had in his hand—and what Batman suspected rendered him invisible—slipping to the ground as he stared into the reflective surface.

Confused, Bruce held back from making his presence known as he watched Harry draw closer to the mirror, completely enchanted by it.

What could be so amazing about his own reflection?

Nose brushing the surface of the glass, Harry's hands touched the smooth reflection. Batman watched him, becoming even more befuddled by the second.

"Mom?" Harry's whisper filled the empty room. "Dad?"

Bruce's eyes widened at the words. What was Harry talking about?

"Harry?" Batman said softly, making his presence known by stepping out of the shadows as the boy whipped around, almost falling over in shock. "Who are you talking to?"

"B-B-Batman." Harry sputtered, staring at the Dark Knight, using the large mirror for support. "How…how did you…?"

Smirking slightly despite his confusion, Batman pointed to the cloak lying in folds on the floor, the tiny bat-shaped red light still blinking. Harry followed his finger, gaping at the Batchip. He clearly hadn't noticed it. "You weren't as sneaky as you thought you were." Bruce said softly.

"I…I guess not." Harry said, regaining his composure now that his initial fright had passed. His eyes flickered back to the mirror briefly, before turning back to Batman, unsure of what he was supposed to say.

Bruce regarded the mirror curiously. "Who were you talking to?" He asked again, walking up so that he was standing in front of the first year.

Harry hesitated, and Batman saw unwillingness to share what was on his mind flash in his eyes. But then he took a deep breath.

"The mirror." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I saw…at least I thought I saw…" He turned around again, putting his hand on the smooth glass.

"My parents." He finished, so softly Batman barely heard him.

Shock rippled through Bruce's body as he remembered what Harry told him when he was escorting Batman to Snape's chamber the first night he was at Hogwarts. Harry's parents were murdered when he was only one year old.

"Your parents?" He echoed in disbelievement, moving closer to the mirror to look at the reflection.

But the only thing he saw was him and Harry. Harry staring at the mirror with a look of awe and delight on his face, and Batman's masked figure standing above him, with barely any expression showing, his dark cape hiding his body from the reflective surface.

"Don't you see them?" Harry asked, never taking his eyes off the mirror.

Batman shook his head. "I don't see them." He said truthfully. Why could Harry see them and he couldn't?

Harry looked up at the Caped Crusader in surprise. "You can't?" He repeated. "Then…why can I?"

"It must be magic." Batman said softly, unable to come up with any other explanation. "Only you can see them, because that is what you want to see."

But Harry shook his head, disagreeing with the assessment. "But I don't remember my parents." He said sadly. "I had no idea what they looked like until I just saw them in the mirror, and I wasn't even thinking about them when I looked."

Silence filled the room at this. Batman was completely stumped. He knew the mirror must be magical, but he had no idea why it showed Harry his parents when he could see nothing.

Harry was watching him. "Do you see anything?" He asked slowly, as if he wasn't sure how Batman would react.

But Bruce shook his head. "Nothing." He said. "Just us."

Harry bit his lip, looking back at the mirror. "Maybe you need to stand where I'm standing." He suggested, stepping away. The moment he did this, his green eyes widened in surprise. "They're gone!" He said, regret and shock in his voice.

"Step back to where you were." Batman said urgently, sensing a break through about how to use this mysterious mirror.

Harry obeyed, and the moment he switched positions, he nodded. "There back." He confirmed. "There smiling and…and waving at me." Emotion chocked his words, and he stepped away again. He looked at Batman, tears sparkling in his eyes. "This…this is the first time I've ever seen them." He whispered.

Batman nodded as the overwhelming urge to put his hand understandingly on Harry's shoulder rushed through him. But he resisted. _Don't be stupid. _He thought to himself in disgust.

Harry was watching him. "You try." He said.

It took a moment for his words to sink in. "What?" Batman said thickly.

Harry nodded towards the mirror. "You try." He repeated. "Stand where I was standing. See if you see something."

Batman looked at the mirror, and a sense of terrible forbidding hit him. For a reason he could not explain, he was afraid of what he might see in the mirror.

_Stop being stupid. _He thought to himself angrily, and he obediently took up position directly in front of the mirror.

Immediately, Harry disappeared from the reflection, leaving Batman alone. It was him…but it wasn't him. Bruce gaped at the mirror and his hand shot to his chest. He could still feel his black gloves on his hands, his Batman body armor over his chest, the cowl on his face, but his reflection had none of those.

In the mirror, Bruce Wayne was staring back at him, wearing one of his usual black suits with a narrow tie, hands placed carelessly in his pockets, smiling his usual award-winning playboy smile he practiced so often. Except this smile wasn't fake. Warmth and happiness that Batman hadn't felt in a long time was reflected in the mirror Bruce's smile.

What _was _this mirror?

But before he could tear himself away from the reflection, two shadowy figures appeared on either side of the mirror Bruce. Mesmerized, Batman found himself unable to look away as the two figures features took shape.

A man and a woman, both smiling out of the glass at him appeared. The woman was dressed in an expensive dress, a fur coat shrugged loosely over it. A strand of glowing pearls showcased her neck as she smiled at Batman with love in her eyes.

The man was tall but strong, dressed in a well-tailored suit and a black bow tie, his features and hair mirroring those of the happy Bruce Wayne in the reflection. Affectionately, he put his hand on the mirror Bruce's arm.

Batman recognized both of them immediately.

Thomas and Martha Wayne.

And in that moment, the world around him seemed to vanish. Bruce found himself forgetting all about Harry standing behind him. He forgot about Hogwarts, Catwoman, Dumbledore, the Die Katze, everything. The only thing that mattered was him, and the two people standing in the mirror in front of him.

Memories of the three of them walking down a dark alleyway together before the two fateful shots rang out flashing painfully through his mind, Bruce found his emotions overwhelming him for the first time in many years. And for the first time in those many years, he made no effort to suppress them.

Taking a step closer to the mirror, feet touching its clawed feet, Batman put both gloved hands on the smooth glass, tears welling behind his mask.

"Mom." He whispered, his voice hoarse. "Dad."

Harry gaped at Batman, shock rippling through him as he watched the man he'd started to get to know in the past six days change in a matter of seconds.

The moment Batman had stepped in front of the mirror, his posture had changed. First, he'd tensed, but then he slowly relaxed, shoulders slumping in a way that showed complete trust in his surroundings, not at the ready for someone to attack, like he had been since the day he'd arrived. Whatever he was seeing, it was having a tremendous effect on him.

And then his jaw slowly dropped, mouth hanging open, as he stared at the mirror with his white cowl eyes wider than Harry had thought possible.

Worried about the man he'd started to come to like, Harry took a step forward. "Batman," He said slowly. "Are…are you okay…?"

But the Dark Knight didn't seem to hear him, and as Harry watched in astonishment, the slack jawed hero took a step forward, lining his feet up at the edge of the mirrors clawed feet. His hands moved dreamily forward as he placed them on the glass.

"Um…Batman?" Harry asked again, debating whether he should try to drag the older and stronger man away from his reflection. "Batman?"

But Bruce showed no recollection that he'd heard him. Putting his face as close to the mirror as possible, his lips moved.

"Mom." He whispered, his voice so hoarse and quiet that Harry could barely hear him. "Dad."

Harry almost fainted in shock.

This was not the Batman he knew.

But there he was, staring at the mirror, gloved hands shaking as emotions ran through him. Harry could hear the chocked sobs coming from his mouth, and the Dark Knight made no move to try and suppress them.

A sense of forbidding washing over him, Harry took a step closer to Batman, so he could see his face pressed against the glass.

The exposed chin of his masked face was wet from the tears that had escaped from underneath it, rolling down his chin and pattering softly to the floor. It seemed wrong to see such a big-time, strong and dark hero like him crying. But here he was. Crying softly over the image he was seeing in the mirror.

An image, Harry realized, of Batman's parents.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. In the short time Harry had knew Batman, the Caped Crusader had never told him anything about his past, strictly avoiding the subject. Harry had respected his privacy, understanding that he probably wanted to keep his identity a secret.

But never, never in a million years, did Harry ever foresee something like this.

Slowly, delicately, Harry stretched out his arm and placed it gently on Batman's shoulder. "Batman?" He whispered softly, as the man flinched at his touch. "You okay?"

Slowly, the man nodded, and he pulled himself away from the mirror.

Batman flinched as he felt Harry's hand grip his arm, the exact place where his father was gripping the happy version of himself in the mirror. The thought brought more fresh tears to his already brimming eyes as he stared hungrily at his long dead parents before him.

"Batman?" Harry's voice whispered, barely registering itself in Batman's mind. "You okay?"

Slowly, painfully, Batman nodded. Then, summoning all his will power, he tore himself away from the mirror, and the image of his parents.

Stepping away from the reflective surface, Bruce tried to get a grip of himself. He was a mess, and he suddenly realized what a fool he had made of himself in front of Harry. Crying like a newborn baby, staring at the mirror like it was an angel from heaven. The wizard probably thought he was deranged. But looking at the eleven-year old, Batman could only see pity and curiosity in the boy's eyes, not amusement.

Carefully whipping his tears with his gloved hands, Batman slowly regained control of himself as a lengthily silence filled the room. Harry didn't seem to know quite what to say, and Batman didn't blame him. But he made no move to break the uncomfortable quiet.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Harry spoke.

"You saw your parents too, didn't you?" He whispered, uncertainty in his voice. He didn't seem to know quite how Batman would react to this little bit of personal prying.

But Batman didn't see why he would bother to deny it. He nodded solemnly, tears threatening to resurface. "Yes." He said softly.

Another small silence met his words. Then Harry took a deep breath and continued. "Did they…I mean are they…are your parents…dead?" He asked, fumbling for the right words to phrase the awkward question.

Batman hesitated. This was much more personal information than he had ever planned on sharing with Harry. But after what he had seen in the mirror and how he had reacted…Harry deserved some answers, even if they were vague.

"Yes." He answered quietly, not completely succeeding in hiding all emotion from his voice. "They…they died quite some time ago."

Harry bit his lip, taking this all in before coming up with his next question, wording it carefully.

A question that Batman knew was coming, and was dreading.

"Where they…I mean how where they…" Harry swallowed, calming himself, before taking a deep breath.

"Were they murdered?" He asked finally, softly, the question catching in his throat at the thought of his own parents' murder, the one he had only recently discovered.

Batman flinched at the words, even though he had known they were coming. And at that moment, he knew that the time for the decision had arrived. The longing, the almost uncontrollable longing to share his story, his origin with the also orphaned boy once again rushed through him. He wanted, oh so wanted to tell Harry how they were alike, how they were connected.

But if he did that, there was no going back.

Biting his lip, tears forming for the third time in his eyes, Batman looked down uncertainly at Harry, staring into those startling green eyes. Eyes filled with pity and understanding, loss and love.

And at that moment, the decision was made.

"Yes." Batman said, adrenaline coursing through him as he faced Harry straight on, no longer uncertain. "Yes, they were murdered."

He paused, and Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Bruce cut him off.

"I'm going to tell you something." He said, his voice wavering with the effort of controlling his emotions. He took a big breath and continued. "I'm going to tell you something that I have shared with very, very few people. And I need you to promise not to share it with anyone. Not with Hermione. Not with Ron. Not with Dumbledore. Can you do that?"

Harry nodded without hesitating, emerald eyes shinning through his circular glasses. "I promise." He said sincerely.

Batman nodded, believing him without a doubt. Taking a giant breath, he started.

"I was born into a very rich family." He said slowly. "Very wealthy, unlike most of the families in the city at the time. I grew up with practically anything I wanted, and I loved my parents dearly. Though I never…I never realized how much I loved them…until I lost them." His voice cracked, and he paused, hands shaking.

Harry took a tentative step closer, placing his hand gently and encouragingly on the Dark Knight's shoulder. "Go on." He whispered, true empathy in his voice.

Swallowing, Batman continued. "We were coming back from a movie." He said, voice wracked with emotion. "The Mark of Zorro. I was all excited; duplicating the moves I'd seen my hero do on the screen. My parents were laughing at me, enjoying my enthusiasm. And then we turned into the alleyway…and he came out of nowhere. Pointing the gun at us, and shouting at my father for his wallet."

He bit his lip, tears starting to fall once again. "My father obeyed for the sake of my mother and I, handing over his wallet calmly and slowly, trying to avoid violence. He never believed in violence. He always…always thought things could be resolved with words. But then Chill-Joe Chill was his name, a petty thief-saw my mother's pearls and demanded he have them. They had been a gift from my father to her, and when my mother hesitated, Chill lunged for them. My father jumped protectively in front of her, and Chill instinctively shot him. He fell and my mother screamed, and Chill shot her twice before ripping the pearls from her neck and taking off into the night, leaving me kneeling over my parents dead bodies, in their pool of blood, an orphan." He swallowed shakily. "I was ten." He chocked out.

Silence met his words, and Harry let go of Batman's shoulder, letting his arm droop soundlessly to his side. "I'm so sorry." He whispered. "I…I never knew."

Batman shook his head, staring at the tips of his steel-toed boots. "Don't be." He said. "It wasn't your fault. And it happened long ago."

"But it's obviously still bothering you." Harry pressed. Then it hit him, green eyes widening.

"Is…" He whispered. "Is that why you became Batman?"

Batman nodded quietly. "I was devastated by my parents murder." He said, looking up at Harry. "I was put into the care of my butler, but I never was the same. Their death striped me of my childhood Harry, changed me forever. I yearned for vengeance, for justice. When I was old enough, I traveled the world, training from countless sources to master as many martial arts as I could, studying the criminal mind and honing my detective skills. I was aboard for seven years, and when I returned home, to my city, I found it worse off then I left it. No justice. Criminals and crime bosses controlling every major business and law enforcement in the area. Chaos. But I was not the same person I was when I had left. I was trained now, and ready to fight a battle against the forces that had taken my parents and my childhood from me, ready to prevent my story from happening to someone else."

He paused, taking another deep breath. "My first time out fighting crime did not go well." He said, chuckling wetly. "The criminals I attacked did not take me seriously. I was one man amongst a whole city of crime. I had no name. I was not feared. I came home wounded and discouraged. I needed something, something to install fear into the hearts of my enemies."

He stopped, closing his eyes. "And then I remembered the bats." He whispered. "When I was a kid, and my parents were still alive, I once fell through an old well, and landed in a cave deep beneath the manor. It was filled with bats, and it had been my worst fear all the way up until I overcame it through my training." He opened his eyes again. "If I feared the bats, then all my enemies should be able to feel my fear as well. If there was one thing I learned from my training about criminals, it is that they are a cowardly and superstitious lot. So I once again descended into the cave, outfitting it for my war on crime, and with the help of my butler created my costume and all the things I needed to become the dark savior of my city."

White eyes narrowed, Bruce stared down Harry straight in his emerald green eyes. "I became Batman." He said simply, finishing his testimony strongly.

Harry nodded, taking it all in, looking at Batman with new eyes. "I never knew." He repeated quietly. "From the first time I met you, I always wondered why someone would want to risk there lives to save people, and pondered over why anyone would want to do it dressed as a bat. I never guessed at the true reasons behind it."

Batman smiled slightly. "Most people don't." He said quietly. "Which was also sort of the point. I didn't want my enemies to know my story, so I could effectively install fear into them."

"And did you?" Harry asked.

Batman cocked his head at the first year. "What do you think?" He asked sarcastically.

Harry looked sheepish. "Oh, right." He mumbled, cheeks burning.

Batman shrugged. "It's all right." He said, looking off into the distance. "I've made many enemies in my career as Batman, and have made a name for myself in my city." He looked back at Harry. "Now, criminals think twice before operating in it."

"I can see why." Harry said truthfully, retaking in the scary and imposing features of the man in front of him.

The two lapsed into another uncomfortable silence, and both of them stared at their shoes.

"We're very alike Harry. You and I." Batman whispered suddenly.

Harry looked up, surprised. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Both our parents were murdered without reason at a young age. We're both orphans, and we both have tremendous legacy's to uphold. We both see our parents in the mirror." Batman put his hand on Harry's shoulder firmly. "No matter how much difference there is between us…we're remarkably similar." He finished, voicing the thoughts that had been on his mind ever since Harry had first shared the story of his parents' murder.

Harry looked up at Batman, his eyes sparkling. "I was thinking the exact same thing." He whispered.

Batman nodded, and dropped his arm. "I've…been debating whether to tell you that for quite some time now." He said, looking away. "But I've finally made my decision."

"Decision?" Harry echoed, pulse racing.

Batman nodded, looking back. "Decision." He repeated. "A decision to no longer house doubts about you. You may be a wizard, living in a world I have always despised, but I can no longer shun you, Harry. I care about you too much now. I…I love you. Love you like…like…" He found himself unable to finish the sentence.

"Like a son." Harry finished for him quietly, understanding shinning in his eyes. "I know. And I…I've started to look up to you like…like a father as well. You…you remind me of him. My father. When I imagine him…I always imagine him like you. Strong. Confident. Protective. Someone I can model myself after and look up to." He looked down, embarrassed, but then looked up again, smiling. "I'm glad we don't have to have all those conflicting feeling anymore." He said, voicing Batman's same relief.

"Me too." Batman sighed. "Me too. I…needed to get that out in the open for quite some time."

They fell into silence again. But this time though, it was not uncomfortable. Quietly, Harry's gaze fell back on the mirror, standing innocently behind them. The thing that started this whole confession fest. "Why do you think it is?" He asked Batman, studying the mirror. "That we see our parents in the mirror?"

Batman considered the question, reassessing the odd mirror. "I think," he said wisely, "that is shows us or deepest and most desperate desires." He paused. "I know that if I could have anything in the world, it would be to have my parents back again." He said softly.

"Me too." Harry agreed, sighing and staring wistfully at the mirror. "Me too."

A short, warm silence filled the room once again, as the two of them smiled at each other, a bond that they did not share before noticeable between them.

"We should probably head back to the tower." Harry said, snatching his Invisibility Cloak from where he had left it on the floor. "It's probably really late."

"I'm sure." Batman said, unable to stop himself from staring as Harry threw the cloak around him arms and his whole body, except for his head, disappeared from sight.

"Where did you get that?" He asked, unable to help himself.

Harry smiled, anticipating the question. "A gift." He said. "From an unknown person. Apparently…apparently it belonged to my father." A longing filled his green eyes. "I'd very much like to know who gave it to me."

"I'm sure you'll find out eventually." Bruce assured him, also curious.

"I hope so." Harry sighed, throwing the rest of the cloak over his head, making his whole body disappear. "I want to thank him…" His disembodied voice said. "And ask a couple questions."

Batman nodded in understanding. He'd want to too.

There was a pause, and then Harry's voice spoke again. "Um…I'll see you back in the Common Room." He said, before the little red blinking Batchip started to make it's way back out towards the door.

Batman nodded, and was about to follow when a thought hit him.

"Harry?" He called, as loud as he dared.

Harry's floating face appeared in the doorway. "Yeah?"

"I wanted to ask you something." Bruce pressed, walking up to the first years seemingly floating head. "Dumbledore made a deal with me this morning." He explained. "He said if I found someone to vouch for my trust to him by tomorrow morning, then he would let me come and go to Hogwarts as I please in exchange for my knowledge of Catwoman."

Harry looked surprised. "He's willing to let you go?" He asked.

Batman nodded. "Yes." He said. "And if I earn this privilege, the first thing I'm going to do is hunt down Catwoman. Teamed with Dumbledore, we will bring her down, retrieve the Die Katze…and possibly your broom."

Harry's eyes lit up. "Really?" He said breathlessly. "You'd do that?"

Batman nodded. "Of course." He said. "It was my fault, really, that it was stolen. I should have been able to get it back for you."

Harry shook his head. "It wasn't your fault." He said sincerely. He paused for a moment. "Why are you telling me this?" He asked slowly, suddenly realizing that Batman wasn't letting him in on this information just for Harry's benefit.

Batman hesitated, taking a big breath. "I want you to vouch for me." He got out, words coming out in a tumble.

Harry looked surprised. "You want me to convince my trust in you to Dumbledore?" He asked in awe.

Batman nodded, pulse suddenly racing. "Will you…will you do it?" He whispered, barely letting himself hope he would say yes. Could he be this close to freedom?

There was a pause as Harry considered, a silence in which seem to stretch for centuries. Batman held his breath in anticipation, preparing himself for a no, just in case.

And then Harry looked up, staring him straight in his masked eyes. "Yes." He said. "I'll do it. Whatever doubts I've had about you have been erased tonight. I trust you…completely."

Batman let out a sigh of relief, allowing himself a brief smile.

"And I you, Harry." He whispered quietly. "And I you."

.

.

(A/N: Ah finally! I've been waiting to write this chapter since I came up with it! Harry/Batman bonding now complete! I really hope you guys liked it. When I came up with this story, I knew there was two things I wanted: 1) I wanted Batman to play Qudditch and 2) I wanted Bruce to see his parents in the Mirror of Erised. And yes, for those of you Batman fanatics that have noticed, I chose the Batman Begins origin for Bruce to tell Harry. It seemed to work the best, in my opinion. Hope you guys agree. Thanks to all who have stuck with me thus far! Love you all! Please review and tell me what you guys thought!)


	12. Never Again

(A/N: Wow, twelfth chapter already. Man, this story went by fast. Well, fast for me anyway. This chapter is devoted to mithrilandtj, Ox King, Chipseet, and Anonymous, for faithfully reviewing my last chapter. I have to say, I was a little disappointed with everyone else. This is my most popular story! I have over fifty alerts on this thing! Over twenty favs! Over 10,000 hits! And only four of you took the time to drop a comment on my longest chapter yet? That made me feel very un-motivated. Think some more of you can drop a review on this chap? Just a small one? I'll update sooner… (Waves a finished chapter thirteen.))

Harry woke up to the bright light of the sun filtering through his window, raising him and beckoning him into a new day. Groggily, he swung his feet off the bed and stood, rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he shoved his glasses roughly on.

It took a good few minutes for his brain to fully awaken and start to have longer thought processes than "Get up."

But when it did, Harry could not help but smile.

He felt more light-hearted than he had felt in a long while. He was on good terms with Batman again. Better than good terms, even. Batman had finally given in, finally accepted the bound that had gradually formed between the two of them, and would no longer shut him out. Harry no longer had to worry about his dark friends mood swings any longer. They were friends.

And even better, Harry had promised to help Batman get the one thing he'd wanted since the moment he woken up in the Hospital Wing a little over a week ago.

His freedom.

A small wash of sadness came over him at the thought, temporarily sobering up his good mood. As much as he wanted to help Batman in any way possible, he did not want the American to leave. He had come to like the Dark Knight more than he had ever thought possible, and learned a lot about him and himself in the process. He was connected to the detective, and he had a feeling that their meeting had not been by chance. Harry wasn't a big believer in fate, but this instance might be the exception.

Pulling out his robes from his messy trunk, Harry hurriedly got dressed, suddenly conscious that he was the only one left in the dorm. He didn't think it was too late in the morning, but he didn't want to be late for his classes. Especially since first period was potions. Snape was _not _very forgiving with tardiness.

Hopping up and down on one foot, Harry pulled on his socks and shoved on his shoes, rushing out of the dormitory and down the stairs and into the Common Room.

He let out a breath of relief to see it was fairly crowded. He hadn't overslept too much then. It looked like the majority of the Gryffindor's hadn't even gone down to breakfast yet.

Scanning the room, Harry's mood brightened as he spotted Batman, half-in and half-out of the shadows, talking—or probably more like listening—to Ron. Grinning, he made his way towards them, his light-heartiness returning despite his dread of seeing Batman leave. He might as well make the time he had left with him last.

"Mornin'," he said when he reached them, stiffening a sudden yawn that had come over him.

"Good morning to you too, sleepy head," Ron said, grinning at him. "When I got up you were so out I thought you were dead. How long did you stay up last night?"

Harry shrugged, his gaze flickering guiltily to Batman for a second. "I stayed up late studying," he lied, not wanting to share the time he had spent with Batman last night with Ron. He felt bad for keeping it from his best friend, but it was something sort of private.

Ron didn't seem to suspect anything for a minute. "Not that Potions essay by any chance? I can't figure out the ingredients…Hermione won't tell me, and she's had hers done for a week!"

Harry laughed. "No, not that one. I'm going to do it tonight."

"Good, we can do it together," Ron said, looking relieved. He glanced over his shoulder and frowned. "What are they up to now?" he muttered, and Harry turned to see Fred and George slinking out of the Common Room, hunched over something concealed in their arms.

"I better go see what they're up to," Ron sighed. "See you at breakfast?"

"Sure," Harry said, and watched Ron take off after his twin brothers, who saw him coming and made a break for the portrait hole. Smirking slightly, he turned to Batman.

"So," he said.

"So," Batman said, mocking Harry's voice in a perfect imitation. He smiled at Harry's stunned expression.

"How'd you do that?" Harry asked, aghast.

"I pride myself in being able to impersonate anyone I wish to," Batman explained, smirking slightly. Disguise and impersonation was one of his specialties.

Harry raised an eyebrow, taking this new fact in. He was starting to have a small list of new things he was learning about the Dark Knight every day.

Shaking his head to clear his brain, Harry focused on what he had wanted to ask. "When do you want to talk to Dumbledore?"

"Right after breakfast," Batman answered automatically. He had obviously thought of this before hand.

"Sounds good," Harry agreed, nodding. "What should I say?"

"Anything you wish to say to him to convince yours—and his—trust in me," Batman said, eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm not going to feed you lines. He'll see right through that. He needs to hear your own views, straight from you. The truth. Nothing sugar-coated."

Harry nodded, glad that Batman had the same idea he had been thinking, and doubly glad that Batman was putting his trust in him to say the right thing. He had already started to rehearse the things he wanted to tell Dumbledore, not wanting to ruin Batman's chances one bit.

"Are you coming down to breakfast then?" Harry asked, a hopeful note in his voice.

"Yes," Batman said, and Harry felt his spirits sore. He didn't know what it was about Batman, but he wanted to spend as much as time with the older man. He wanted to learn from him, wanted to be able to move with his grace and style, and most of all he wanted to impress him. Harry guessed it was nature, to want to impress someone bigger and stronger than you. And how amazing Batman was only increased the need.

"See you there, then," he said, and turned to leave the Common Room, unable to wipe the grin off his face. For once, everything was perfect.

Hermione met him half way, eyes sparkling with curiosity as she headed down to the Great Hall with him.

"Why are you so happy?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing," Harry said.

Hermione frowned. "Harry," she said sternly. "Obviously something's happened. What are you so thrilled about? What happened?"

"I'm in Batman's good book, Hermione," Harry said, unable to keep himself from spilling the beans any longer. "He told me he wasn't going to shun be anymore. He said he's accepted me for who I am."

Hermione's jaw dropped slightly, and she stared at Harry in shock. "Seriously?"

"Yep!" Harry said, almost skipping from joy. "And that's not even the best part."

"What?" Hermione asked, eyes wide.

"He asked me to vouch my trust in him to Dumbledore."

Hermione's agape mouth widened into an O. "Really? He asked you to do that? To Dumbledore?"

"Yeah," Harry said, grinning from ear to ear.

"What did you say?"

"Well, yes of course. I'm not going to let him down."

Hermione suddenly stopped short, and Harry had to backtrack himself to come back alongside her.

"What is it?" he asked, suddenly concerned. His eyes flickered around the hall, looking for signs of trouble, but nothing presented itself.

"Harry," she whispered, frowning. "Are you sure you want to vouch for him? If you convince Dumbledore to trust him…Batman's going to leave. Probably forever."

Harry's smile slipped and he too frowned. He had been thinking the same thing. "I know," he said finally, after a moment of silence. "And…I'm going to miss him. But I can't let him down on this. He needs me to help him got out of here, so he can stop this cat-lady from doing too much damage with the Die Katze. You saw how worried Dumbledore was. This statue is dangerous, and Batman might be the only one who can stop it."

Hermione bit her lip, nodding. "Still," she said. "You…seemed so happy by the fact that he's accepted you. But once he's nullified the threat, he's not going to come back, Harry. He doesn't like it here-hate being maybe too strong of a word-but he certainly doesn't feel comfortable here. He might like you, but he's not going to announce that he's going to live at Hogwarts for the remainder of the year."

Harry looked down at his shoes, focusing glumly on his shoelace. "I know," he said softly. "But we've made so much headway that…I hope he'll at least stay in contact. So that I can write to him during the summer or something. Stay in touch."

Hermione's faced softened into one of sympathy. "But will he even allow something like that?" she asked gingerly. "Harry…do you even know his name?"

Harry opened his mouth to respond, but closed it as he realized she was right. He had no idea what Batman's real identity was. He had no idea what his actual name was, or what he looked like under the mask. How could he have been such a fool? How could he have even considered having a relationship with Batman after he had left for good? It wasn't possible. His duties as a hero came first.

He sighed sadly, the happiness he had been feeling deflating. "I guess you're right," he said softly. "But…I still have to vouch for him. As an acquaintance, if nothing more."

Hermione nodded, and the two of them started to walk again in silence. "I…didn't mean to bring you down," she said after a moment. "But I just wanted you to be prepared for the hit before it came."

"It's fine," Harry said, looking off to the side, away from her. "I should of seen it coming anyway. I knew it was too good to be true."

The walked the rest of the way to the Great Hall in silence, taking their seats next to Ron at the Gryffindor table, the redhead happily oblivious to Harry's sudden glumness, filling the meal with much chatter.

Halfway through, Batman arrived, taking a seat next to Harry. Harry managed to give him a weak smile. Even though he knew their relationship couldn't last, he still wanted to make every second left with his role model count.

The meal went by considerably fast, Ron's constant talking keeping the ball rolling. None to soon, breakfast had ended, and Ron and Hermione started to make their way back to the Common Room.

Ron stopped halfway out, noticing Harry wasn't with them. Looking back, he saw that he was still with Batman, looking like he wasn't leaving anytime soon. "You coming?" he called back to him.

Harry shook his head, motioning for them to go on without him.

Shrugging, Ron turned and left, Hermione following him after a brief moment of hesitation.

Harry bit his lip as he and Batman walked up to Dumbledore, sitting patiently, eyes sparkling with interest as the two of them approached. Despite himself, he was nervous. He was terrified that he would let a wrong word slip and Dumbledore wouldn't let Batman leave. Harry didn't really want him to leave, but he wanted to let down his friend even less.

"What can I do for the two of you?" Dumbledore asked politely as Batman and Harry reached him, peering at them from over his half-moon spectacles.

"Harry came to tell you something," Batman said, nodding reassuringly at Harry.

Harry gulped as the searching blue eyes fell on him. "What is it you would like to tell me, Harry?" the Headmaster asked, voice neutral and calm.

Harry swallowed, trying to moisten his suddenly very dry mouth. "I…I'd like to vouch for Batman," he said faintly.

Dumbledore raised a thin eyebrow. "Vouch for him?" he repeated. "You would like to vouch for this mans trust?"

"Yes," Harry said firmly, trying to gain control over his fluttering heart.

Dumbledore stared into his eyes for a long time, and Harry shivered as he once again had the sensation that the Headmaster was reading his thoughts. Then finally, he looked away, turning his attention to Batman.

"So you have gained someone's trust," he said softly, blue eyes scanning Batman thoughtfully.

"So I have," Batman said, his rough voice giving nothing away. "I assume our arrangement still stands."

"It does," Dumbledore confirmed, slowly rising from his chair. "Let us continue this conversation in my office," he suggested. "We will have more privacy there."

Harry and Batman nodded in agreement and followed the old man out of the Great Hall.

Harry felt increasingly nervous with each step as the silent three-some neared Dumbledore's office. The last time he had been this freaked out was when he had been waiting for Professor McGonagall to come back to lead him and the rest of the first years into the Great Hall on his first day. He hadn't known what the Sorting was, and was freaked it might be some sort of test. Luckily, it wasn't.

This, unfortunately, was worse than a test.

They reached the stone gargoyle in only a couple minutes flat, but it felt like an eternity to poor Harry. Dumbledore might not be the scariest of interrogators—far from probably how scary Batman would be, Harry could scarcely imagine—but that made him no less nervous.

Albus lead them up the twisting staircase into the comfy office, gesturing for the two of them to take a seat. Harry listlessly obeyed, sitting in the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk, but Batman, as expected, ignored the gesture, taking up an imposing solid position behind Harry. If Harry didn't know Batman he would have been terrified, but instead the Dark Knights presence seem to comfort him and calm his nerves. Slightly, at least. He was not alone.

Dumbledore took his time taking his own seat, easing himself into his decorated chair. Folding his hands neatly, he once again peered at Harry over his half-moon spectacles, his gaze soft and curious. Harry did not feel threatened—only exposed by those haunting blue orbs.

"So," Dumbledore said. "Let us make sure I have this completely straight before we begin. You wish to vouch for the Batman's trust, Harry?"

"Yes," Harry said, keeping his voice as steady and sure as he could.

Dumbledore nodded, staring into Harry's green eyes for a long moment before continuing. "And you are aware if you vouch for him and convince me of his trust, that he will be able to leave Hogwarts forever if he so chooses?"

Harry swallowed. "Yes," he said.

Dumbledore sat back in his chair thoughtfully. His eyes flickered briefly to Batman. "You trust him?" he asked.

"Completely," Harry said truthfully, remembering what Batman had said earlier. Be honest. Dumbledore would see right through him if he lied.

"And why is that?" Dumbledore asked, cocking his head slightly as if he really truly wanted to know the answer.

Harry bit his lip, suddenly unsure of how to respond. He knew the answer. He trusted Batman completely because of what he had confessed the night before. How his own parents were killed, and how alike he and Harry were. And then how he had admitted he saw Harry like a son…just as Harry was starting to look up to him like the father he never had.

Harry could no longer deny his trust in the dark detective after that. But he couldn't tell Dumbledore about it. It was personal. _Very _personal, on both sides.

Unsure, he glanced behind him at the silent form of Batman, his question shinning in his eyes.

And to his surprise, Batman nodded to him. "Tell him," he said, his usually rough voice softening slightly, hinting at the nicer one that would sometimes escape him. "If that's why you trust me, tell him. He needs to know the truth."

Harry was a little taken aback. He didn't think Batman would even consider letting him tell Dumbledore about the things he had confessed the night before—even for his freedom. It seemed so personal, and Harry had a feeling Batman hated talking about personal things.

But he had just told Harry to spill the beans anyway. Taking a big breath, Harry turned back to Dumbledore, who was waiting patiently for his answer.

"Last night," Harry began. "I…snuck out, and… and Batman followed me, but I didn't know it. And then I stumbled across this room, with a mirror in it. And when I looked it in…when I looked in it I saw…"

He trailed off for a second, trying to get a grip on himself.

"I saw my parents," he whispered, a sudden wash of emotion threatening to take over. "It was the first time I'd ever seen them. And they looked so happy to see me, smiling and waving…it was torture to not be able to actually, you know, touch them. Hug them, be with them. I guess I sort of…broke down a little bit until Batman showed himself. He didn't get why I was seeing my parents in the mirror, because all he could see was me. So I let him look into it and then…"

He broke off, glancing at Batman uncertainly for a moment. But the hero simply nodded. "Go on," he said.

"He…saw his parents too," Harry said softly, noticing how Dumbledore's eyebrows rose slightly at his words. "And…well he…" he glanced at Batman; at loss of how to describe what happened next. How Batman had broken down and cried, staring at the picture in the mirror. And then his heart-felt confession that went straight to Harry's already vulnerable heart.

"Then he told me," Harry said softly. "Told me how his parents were murdered when he was ten. And how he too was orphaned, and swore to never let what happened to him happen to anyone else. So he became Batman to wipe out crime in his city and avenge his parents' death. And then…then he…"

He trailed off again, this time unable to continue.

"And then I told you how I could not stop seeing you like a son," Batman finished for him softly. "And that I could no longer push you out and I was ready to accept you for who you are."

Harry turned his head around, shocked, gaping at Batman. He didn't think the silent detective would ever tell Dumbledore something like that.

Batman simply stared down at him and shrugged, a rare smile forming on his lips. "Honesty, Harry," he said. "Remember it."

Harry broke into a smile. "I will," he said truthfully.

"Well, that was unexpected," Dumbledore said suddenly, causing Harry to jump. He had almost forgotten the Headmaster was there. He turned back around, eyes wide to find the old man smiling at him, blue eyes shinning.

"I have to say, I'm impressed," he said told Batman, taking in the solemn Dark Knight before him with new eyes. "I did not think it possible for you to gain such trust from someone. But you certainly have." He looked back at Harry again, a slight wonder in his eyes that made Harry feel a rush of unexpected pride.

"So you trust me?" Batman asked, a slight edge of hopefulness creeping into his voice.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, nodding, and Harry noticed Batman's muscles slacken slightly in relief. "I did not think I would when you first approached me, but I am entirely convinced now. You two have a bond that I did not believe possible…" he trailed off, looking like he had something else to add to the sentence, but had decided not to finish it.

"You are free to go," he said instead, spreading his arms for emphasis. "You may come and go to Hogwarts as you please. Consider yourself our ally."

Batman smiled despite himself. He could go. He was free! "Thank you," he said truthfully, nodding respectfully at Dumbledore, before turning to go.

He stopped before he had even made it halfway to the door.

Turning, he looked back into the sad green eyes he knew would be waiting for him. Harry. Harry, the boy who had just won him his freedom, and without he would still be stuck here for who knew how long.

The boy he had come to love and care about.

He couldn't just leave him, could he?

_He'll be fine. _He told himself. _He's safe here, amongst friends. You don't belong here. You've never belonged here. It's better to get out, and get back to work._

He fiddled with this for a moment, knowing the words were right, but not true to his heart. He couldn't just leave Harry in the dust like that. Not after what had happened between them. They were friends now, more then friends. They were connected, and Batman could not bring himself to cut the ties he had just formed.

But yet, he could no longer stay here. That, he knew for sure. He was Batman. He had Gotham City to protect, and currently, Catwoman to stop. He had other priorities he needed to attend to.

At loss, Batman stared into Harry's emerald eyes, at a crossroad once again, with no easy answer as of which one to take in sight.

"Harry…" he said uncertainly, trailing off as he found himself unable to complete the sentence.

Harry flashed him a weak smile. "Go," he said. "Go. You don't belong here. You need to go, and do what you do best. I'll be here. I'll always be here, if…if you need me." The words seemed to pain him, and Batman could hear the emotion in his voice. And in that moment he realized just how strong of a bond he had with the small wizard boy. He couldn't cut the ties with him. Not yet.

"No," he said firmly.

Harry shook his head, standing up and walking up to Batman, face set. "No," he said. "Go. I don't want you to stop yourself from doing your job because of me."

"No," Batman said, shaking his head.

"Batman, I mean it, go and—"

"I want you to come with me."

Harry stared at him, flabbergasted, completely thrown off guard by his words. "What…what did you say?"

"Come with me," Batman said again, adrenaline starting to build up in his system. "Help me find Catwoman. We can fight her, together. Both of our powers and strengths, combined."

Harry was stunned, mouth flapping uselessly. Wordlessly, he turned to looked at Dumbledore, who was watching the exchange with a small smile.

"Professor?" Harry asked, not daring to hope.

"Go," Dumbledore said. "Go with him. Find Catwoman, and find out what she's planning. Then come back, and we can attack her together."

He looked straight at Batman as he said this, who had opened his mouth to object. "The Die Katze is quite possibly one of the most powerful magical objects in the world," he said firmly, staring at Batman hard from above his spectacles. "You are going to need all the magical help you can get."

Batman closed his mouth, nodding. He didn't like accepting wizarding help, but in this situation…well, it looked like he had no choice. "Agreed," he said. "I'll stay the night. We'll leave tomorrow morning."

"Good," Dumbledore agreed. "But I must warn you: if anything happens to Harry, I must hold you responsible. Are you prepared to take that responsibility?"

"Yes," Batman said, without hesitation.

"Then you are free to go," Dumbledore said.

Batman nodded respectfully to him and turned to leave again, Harry following still slightly stunned at his heels.

"Oh, and Batman?"

Bruce looked back. "Yes?"

"Before you leave tomorrow…you still owe me all your knowledge on Catwoman."

Batman smiled slightly. "Of course," he said, turning again, cape swishing.

"I am a man of my word."

~O~

Harry sat in his favorite chair in the Common Room, hardly able to contain his excitement.

Ron sat in the chair across from him, mouth forming a perfect O. Hermione, on the couch, too looked utterly shocked.

Harry had just finished telling them about Batman's proposal.

"No way!" Ron exploded, bouncing in his seat. "No flippin' way!"

"I'm completely serious," Harry said, unable to wipe the grin off his face. He was going to go with Batman! He was going to be his partner! Well…at least, for a little while. Batman hadn't said anything about after they had defeated Catwoman, but Harry wasn't worried about that. He didn't want to be Batman's full time partner. He was just glad that he was going to spend more time with the Dark Knight before his eventual departure back to Gotham City. It was not yet their final goodbye. Instead, it was the beginning of what might be their finest adventure.

"I can't believe Dumbledore is letting you go Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "First years' aren't supposed to leave the school grounds!"

"He's making an exception because I'm with Batman," Harry explained. "If anything happens to me, Batman's responsible. Not that the Dursley's would care anyway."

"I'm sooo jealous!" Ron said, face green with envy. "You're soo lucky! Why don't I ever get to do all the fun stuff? Do you think Dumbledore would let me go to?"

"No, silly," Hermione snorted. "Dumbledore let Harry because Batman asked Harry to come specifically. Cause he likes him. He's not going to want _you _slowing him down."

"I thought he liked me…" Ron muttered, though he didn't look too disappointed or hurt.

"When are you leaving?" Hermione asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Harry said. "Dumbledore has already told all my teachers that I'll be gone and that I'm exempt from homework until I get back."

"And when is that?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. "Dunno. As long as it takes to find Catwoman and figure out what she's up to, I guess. Batman doesn't think it'll take too long though. I think he knows more than he's letting on."

"I'm just worried you're going to get hurt Harry," Hermione said worriedly.

"I'll be fine Hermione," Harry assured her. "I'm with Batman. I don't think I'd feel safer with anyone else in the world."

~O~

The rest of the day seemed to drag for Harry. Classes seemed to go by in slow motion, agonizingly slow for Harry's excited and anxious brain. He wanted tomorrow morning to come so bad it was giving him a headache. Why couldn't it just be tomorrow already?

Finally, after what seemed like forever, dinner came along and classes ended. Harry happily joined Ron and Hermione in trekking down to the Great Hall, Batman trailing as usual behind him. He was so glad that Batman was still there. The thought of having to walk down the hall without the usual shadowing figure was saddening and suddenly foreign after a week of it being constantly there. He was just happy he didn't have to deal with that quite yet.

They took their seats, the whole hall abuzz with gossip as the school chatted about Harry and Batman's mission. As always, the whole school had heard about before long, and Harry was getting curious and awe-filled gazes just as much as jealous ones.

He didn't mind though. It was all worth it to see Malfoy's face as he stalked up to him from the Slytherin table. He didn't even seem remotely scared of Batman anymore, he was so furious.

"I don't know what you're playing at, Potter," he spat. "But my Father will hear about this. First years' shouldn't be allowed outside of the school, and especially with the likes of _him,_" he glared at Batman like he was a bug under his shoe, his anger overriding any fear that Batman had managed to install in him. Batman simply narrowed his eyes at him; unwillingly to jeopardize his new freedom rights with getting in a fight with a Slytherin that he would undoubtly win.

"Jealous are you, Malfoy?" Harry asked, amused. He couldn't help himself. Draco's face was too priceless.

"I hope the cat woman pounds your face in," he hissed, before stalking away with his nose in the air.

Ron broke out into laughter, unable to hold it in any longer. "Little prat," he chuckled. "Can't stand being out of the spotlight, can he?"

"Nope," Harry agreed. "He certainly can not."

Dinner was pleasant that evening. Harry had not had such a light-hearted meal in a long while. He was so happy he could hardly stop himself from smiling. He practically skipped from the hall, not even realizing that he had forgot his book bag at the Gryffindor table before he was halfway back to the Common Room.

"I'll be right back, guys," he told Ron and Hermione. "I forgot my book bag."

"Do you want us to come back with you?" Hermione asked.

"Nah, I'm fine," Harry said, waving away her offer. "See you back in the Common Room."

He left them, back tracking his way back to the Hall, humming a catchy tune that had wormed its way into his head.

He hadn't noticed the person behind him until it was to late.

There was a flash of blinding light and a crack, and Harry felt himself flying forward, slamming into the stonewall. He grunted in pain, falling into a limp heap.

Footsteps came over to him, and Harry could make out black shoes in front of his face before he received a nasty kick to the stomach, making him double over again.

"That's what you get, Potter," a voice hissed. With a sickening cringe, Harry recognized it as Malfoy's. Anger starting to flood his mind, Harry groped for his wand but felt it get roughly snatched away from him. Regaining some feeling, he looked up to see Draco above him, sneering and hold both his and Harry's wands in his hand.

"So how's it feel, Potter?" he asked, kicking Harry with full force, sending him slamming into the wall again, knocking the wind out of him. "Being on the floor, where you belong? Where's your sniveling Mudblood mother now Potter? Is she dead?"

The Slytherin smirked, hovering his foot over Harry's head, broken glasses askew. "I should squish you like an ant," he said, and Harry saw the foot start to come down, bracing himself for the pain—

But it never came. Mustering the strength to look up, Harry saw Malfoy flung away by a powerful kick of a black boot. His vision was hazy, his glasses having shattered when he had fallen, but Harry could just make out the dark shape flying past him with inhuman speed.

Batman.

A small sense of relief washed over him. Batman was here. Everything was going to be all right. Harry could hear Malfoy's terrified whimpers as Batman came to his rescue, but he could no longer muster up the strength to watch. His whole body hurt. He was sure he had cracked at least a few ribs from where Draco had kicked him, and his arm was on fire from where he had landed on it after he had hit the wall. He was in pain, and it was taking all his will power not to cry, let alone lift his head.

Suddenly a face came into Harry's blurry vision as Batman appeared at his side, masked face weird-looking with Harry's messed up double-vision. Concerned filled the little bit of his features that were visible. "Are you all right?" he asked, his rough voice completely replaced with the soft, almost musical one that Harry had only rarely heard escape him.

Harry tried to open his mouth to respond, but all that came out was a whimper as a fresh wave of pain hit him. Tears ran down his cheeks and he felt like an idiot for crying, but he couldn't help it. The pain and hurt was too much for the little bit of will power he had left.

Whimpering, he felt soft, gloved hands gingerly picking him up into the air as Batman cradled him against his armored chest, his cape tickling the end of Harry's nose. "I'm going to take you to the Hospital Wing," he whispered reassuringly to Harry. "Malfoy's gone. He can't hurt you anymore. It's going to be okay. Everything's going to be fine."

Harry could only whimper in response, but he felt a sense of calm come over him at Batman's reassuring words. He sounded so confident, so sure of himself. Nothing could go wrong when Batman was with him. Everything was going to be all right.

Batman carried him carefully through the halls to the Hospital Wing, gingerly placing Harry down on one of the beds when they reached it, knocking briskly on Madam Promfrey's door to alert her.

She came out in a fluster, eyes widening at the sight of Batman and widening still at the sight of Harry lying hurt and limp on the bed. She got straight to work on Harry, mending his broken ribs and arm with a few choice spells. She gave him a small potion to take that Harry obediently drank with some help, before he fell asleep, exhausted.

"He'll stay here for the night," Madam Promfrey informed Batman.

"Will he recover?" Bruce asked worriedly.

"He should be fine by morning," she said confidently. "You can report to Dumbledore what happened then. It's late now; you should go back to the Common Room and get some rest. I'll take care of him from here."

"I'm not leaving him," Batman said firmly, eyes narrowing.

"Really, he'll be fine," Madam Promfrey said, slightly confused by Batman's insistence. "No one can hurt him here."

"I still want to be by him," Batman said, his tone making it clear they would be no changing his mind.

Madam Promfrey shrugged. "Suit yourself," she murmured, before retreating back to her quarters.

Batman moved soundlessly over to Harry's sleeping form, taking up position at his side. He did not move, did not utter a sound. Nor did he sleep. He stayed that way, keeping silent vigil as he watched over Harry; long after midnight had come and gone.

He stayed that way the entire night, never leaving his side.

Staring at Harry's peacefully sleeping form, Batman made a solemn vow.

He would not allow Harry to ever be hurt like that again.

Not when he could stop it.


	13. To London, Batman!

(A/N: Okay, this is going to be a very long A/N, but it is needed. I got twelve reviews on the last chapter. Twelve! :O And yes, I did count. Your reviews are like candy to me. Finding a new one in my inbox is better than Christmas! ~Gasps~ I can't believe I just said that…sorry Santa. Anyway, I am so very very happy that I got so many of you to give me feedback that I just _had_ to give you all personal thanks. On a quick note though, I have been revising the first four chapters. Chapter 2 is revised, edited, and rewritten in places, and Chapter 1 is in the process of being completely rewritten, due to some changes that need to be made. Those will, hopefully, be completed and reposted soon, just to let you guys know. :) Merry Christmas to you all by the way! Consider my update my Christmas present to all of you! Thank you all!

KathySacuba: I am very very happy to know that you like it! :D Quirrel will appear briefly near the end of the story. And be my guest in killing Malfoy. I'll even lend you a knife. Thanks for favoriting, reviewing and alerting! Forget giving _me _a cookie, I'm gonna give _you _one! Thanks!

Catchfire: Thanks once again for reviewing! There will be a total of twenty chapters, if you were wondering. I am slowly but surely getting there. I don't want to rush and post bad work. Glad you like it!

Hunny2007: Thank you! Glad you like it!

Jim Red Hawk: Thanks for all the reviews, I'm glad you are enjoying it!

Belcris: :D Smiley says thanks a million for reviewing!

Pynrieg: Thank you very much for reviewing and telling me your views. It tells me you are really thinking about this deeply, which thrills me, and I hope I answered all of your questions, or at least justified my reasoning. Ask away if you come up with anything more!

Phygmalion: I might just write something like that, with Voldy and Bats, I mean. We'll see! :D As for the Dursley's…maybe. We'll see. Thanks a bunch for reviewing!

Geek179: Thanks for the review! I'll keep that suggestion in mind…I've been thinking about that myself. We'll see.

Rosa Clearwater: I hope you think it's fantastic! :D Thanks for the review! Glad you like it!

Jostanos: You make me blush. Thanks for the review! And I like the Peter Pan reference. He is my third out of three obsessions. Can you guess the other two?

Galaxya: Thank you so much! Your complements flatter me. I'm thrilled to entertain you!

M: I'm glad you enjoy it despite my errors. I have a printed copy of this story thus far and have been manually editing it for quite some time. Hopefully, eventually, those errors will be fixed for you. Thank you for your review!

Enjoy the story everyone! Merry Christmas to you all!

**~O~**

Harry's eyes flickered open drowsily, his thought process still muddled with sleep. It took him a moment to keep his eyes from closing again, and another to get used the fuzziness of his surroundings, due to his horrible vision without glasses. It was only then that he realized his was not in his dormitory, and this was not his bed.

Sitting up rapidly, he looked around in half asleep horror, his tired mind coming up with stupid, unreasonable stories on how Voldemort had found him and kidnapped him and—

It took him at least thirty seconds with his bad vision to realize that he was only in the hospital wing.

Sighing in relief now that he knew he was not in danger, Harry relaxed, sinking back into his pillows and groping for his glasses on the bedside table.

He jumped when his hands met stiff fabric.

Retracting his hand, Harry squinted at his left, trying to make out what he had touched. He could just make out a dark silhouette, still as a statue by the fuzzy outline of his bedside table, flowing black cape draping over half of it. A small smile crept onto Harry's face.

Batman.

"You scared the living daylights out of me," Harry laughed softly, hand flailing wildly on top of the table once again, searching for his glasses.

"That's usually what I try do," Batman's rough voice responded softly, and Harry felt the heroes gloved hand press something cold and metallic into his own. His glasses.

"Thanks," Harry muttered, slipping the circular frames on, blinking as the world suddenly came into focus. He took Batman's impressive figure in again, marveling for not the first time at how awe-inspiring the man truly was. He grinned again, but then frowned as he noticed how stiff the Dark Knight seemed, like he had been standing there a while.

His eyes widened at the thought.

"You haven't been standing there all night, have you?" Harry asked, aghast.

Batman shrugged good-naturedly, which Harry took for a yes.

"You didn't have to do that," Harry protested, feeling guilty.

"I wasn't like I had much else to do," Batman pointed out.

"Didn't you sleep at all?" Harry demanded, refusing to let Batman shrug the deed off as nothing.

Batman shook his head.

Harry simply stared at him. "You're crazy," he muttered. "Don't you _ever _sleep?"

"As I said before," Batman said, smirking slightly. "Three days is my limit."

Three days. Harry could hardly imagine not sleeping for _three days!_

"Besides," Batman continued, looking out the window. "I couldn't just leave you after what happened."

There was an awkward silence as the vivid memories of the events of last night flooded into Harry's mind. He seemed to be all patched up now—by Madam Promfrey no doubt—but he could still remember the sharp pain of Malfoy's kicks, the horrible feeling of the breath being knocked out of him when he hit the wall.

"Did you carry me all the way to the Hospital Wing?" Harry asked Batman softly.

Batman nodded silently.

"And you stayed here the entire night? For me?"

Batman nodded again.

Harry sat back in his pillows, a grateful smile on his lips. "Thanks," he whispered. "For saving me…and…and for everything."

"It was the least I could do," Batman said humbly.

"For what?" Harry scoffed. "What have I actually done for you?" Harry couldn't see how any of his deeds could possibly pay for how many times Batman had helped him.

"You made me feel at home," Bruce said. "Or at least, as close to at home as I could possibly be here. You befriended me even though you had every reason not to. You helped me receive a chance to leave, even though you had every right and reason to not."

Harry blushed, a rush of happiness running through him at the compliments. "That's nothing compared to saving my life," he said modestly.

"It is to me," Batman said simply.

They lapsed into a small silence again, Harry's thoughts drifting around happily, until they landed on something he had almost completely forgot about.

"We're still going to leave, right? To find Catwoman?" he asked Batman worriedly, fearing that the events of last night would postpone the trip.

"I don't know," Batman said slowly. "It depends if you feel up to it. If you feel like you need some more time to recover then—"

"I'm fine!" Harry cut in hurriedly, green eyes wide. "Really! We can still go!"

Batman gave him a stern look, his lips forming a small frown. "I don't want you denying yourself of needed rest just to go with me," he said sternly. "It's not that big of a deal. We can leave once you're completely recovered."

"No, really, I'm fine," Harry insisted, throwing off his covers and getting wobbly to his feet for empathis. He was still in his school uniform, minus his robes and tie, and his white button-up shirt was now very wrinkled, but Harry didn't care. "We can leave right now!"

"Absolutely not," Batman said firmly. "You haven't eaten anything, and there is no way you'll be allowed outside the castle wearing _that. _It makes no sense to leave until you've eaten and changed. Besides, I want you to talk to Madam Hooch and see if you can borrow a school broomstick."

Harry pouted but couldn't help but feel curious when Batman mentioned the broom. "Why do we need the broom for?" he asked.

"It's for you," Batman said, as if this were obvious. "No offense to you, but we'll be moving around on the rooftops…and I move…fast. Unless you have a hidden talent of using a grappling hook, or unless you can secretly fly on your own or stick to walls, I would say the flying broomstick will come in handy."

Harry blushed. He hadn't thought of that. Stupid. Of _course _they'd be on the rooftops! What, did he think they were going to stroll down the streets? "Right," he said lamely, cursing his own stupidity. "Makes sense."

"Well, if you really think you're rested enough…" Batman said after a long moment, looking Harry up and down with a critical eye. "Then I guess you can go get changed into regular—er, _Muggle _clothes, before heading down to get some lunch. You have about twenty minutes or so. Then after that, we can leave."

Harry's heart skipped a beat. "Lunch?" he echoed in surprise.

Batman smirked knowingly. "You can really sleep when you want to," he said, grinning.

Harry blushed again. "I'll meet you in the Great Hall," he said quickly, before hurrying out of the Hospital Wing and towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

Great. He had managed to embarrass himself in front of Batman. Twice. What a great start to his day.

~O~

Twenty or so minutes later, Harry took his seat at the Gryffindor table between Ron and Batman. It was weird to see the normal foods and drinks of lunchtime, considering he had no recollection of there ever being breakfast. He had really been out.

"Ello mate," Ron greeted him as he sat down, taking in his friends' appearance. "Er, nice clothes."

Harry blushed for the third time that day. He was wearing a pair of Dudley's old and huge tattered jeans, a baggy Nike sweatshirt and a pair of old tennis shoes. "It's all I had," he explained sheepishly. Really, it wasn't. It was about the best he had. Dudley's hand-me-downs were atrocious.

Ron shrugged, taking a giant bite out of a chicken leg. "I'm not about to judge you," he muttered through the mouthful. "It's not like _I _know anything about Muggle fashion."

Harry rolled his eyes, grinning before loading his plate with food. He was starving. Last night's dinner suddenly seemed very far off.

After a good three servings of chicken and turkey, and who knows how much bread and Butterbeer, Harry finally found his stomach satisfied. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes. He felt…refreshed. And it felt good.

Opening his eyes again, Harry turned to Batman, who was silently watching him. "Are you ready?" The detective asked, his dark voice making the words sound gravelly.

"Yeah," Harry said, stretching. "But don't you want me to go get that broom?"

Batman nodded. "We'll go see Dumbledore now, and get the final preparations figured out," he explained, swiftly and fluidly rising from his seat. Harry followed him, pulling up his over-sized jeans.

"Are you guys leaving then?" Hermione asked, looking up from the book she was reading as the two of them moved.

"Yes," Batman responded. "Soon."

"Good luck, mate!" Ron said, grinning and punching Harry good-naturedly on the arm.

"Yes," Hermione agreed. "Good luck. We'll…see you when you get back."

Batman gave each of them a curt nod, before swiftly walking towards the High Table, cape swishing regally behind him.

Harry grinned at his two best friends. "I'll see you when I get back," he told them hurriedly before taking off after Batman. "Bye!"

Catching up to the Dark Knight, Harry fell into step beside him as the two of them approached Dumbledore, who patiently watched their approach, hands folded. He smiled as they arrived. "Ready to go, I presume?" he said.

"Close," Batman said. "Harry needs a broomstick."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "A broomstick? What for?"

"I operate on rooftops," Batman said simply.

Albus' eyes twinkled. "Ah," he said. "I see. Well, I am sure that can be arranged. I will have Madam Hooch fetch one for you. It will be waiting for you by the front doors. Collect your stuff, and you can head out as soon as it arrives."

Batman nodded respectfully before turning on his heel and making his way towards the doors. Harry quickly followed him, heart racing with excitement. He could already feel the adrenaline coursing through his system. They were finally going!

They reached the massive front doors before long. Everything they were bringing was already piled in front of it, which wasn't much. All there was was a simple bag of essentials for Harry, in case they were gone for more than one night. Batman had nothing but himself and all the weapons and who knows what he had on his person, which Harry was sure was more than enough.

They stood there for a good couple of minutes in silence, Batman taking refuge in the shadows while Harry paced. He was so anxious to leave. What was taking Madam Hooch so long?

Finally, after what seemed like forever, she arrived, Professor Dumbledore in her wake. "Here you go, Potter," she said, handing him an old Comet Two-Sixty. Harry took it, feeling it. It was not as near as good as his Nimbus, but it would have to do.

The Qudditch instructor smiled at him knowingly. "I know it's not in the league of your Nimbus," she said. "But it'll get you by. They're sturdy things, Comets. Good luck on your…mission or whatever it is."

"Thank you Professor," Harry thanked her. Madman Hooch nodded at him with a smile, before walking away.

Now it was just Harry, Batman and Dumbledore.

The old Headmaster had his eyes fixed on Batman, blue eyes light but serious. "His care is in your hands now," he told Bruce seriously. "You are responsible if anything happens to him."

Batman nodded slowly. "I am aware," he said.

Dumbledore nodded, turning to Harry. "Be careful, Harry," he said softly, his blue eyes staring intelligently into Harry's green ones. "And good luck." He straightened, looking at both of them. "Good luck to both of you. I pray that you will come back successful."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said respectively. Dumbledore nodded, before he too turned and walked away.

Harry turned to Batman slowly, not daring to believe that they were really about to leave. The Dark Knight smiled at him, coming out of the shadows and nodding to Harry's things. Harry obediently picked up his bag and broom as Batman placed a gloved hand on the door handle and wrenched the big wooden door open, showering them in the bright rays of the sun.

They were finally leaving. The moment of truth had arrived.

~O~

Harry was puffing by the time he and Batman reached the gates of Hogwarts, sweat rolling down his forehead. Why did the grounds have to be so massive? And why did it have to be so hot out? Panting, Harry glanced at Batman, wondering for not the first time how the man was able to handle all this. He was wearing _all black_-the color that absorbs heat-long sleeves and pants; not to mention who knows how many layers of armor along with his thick boots, gloves, cape and mask. And yet he wasn't even slightly winded from the long trek. If Harry didn't know better, he would have sworn Batman wasn't human.

"Take out your wand," Batman demanded suddenly, examining the magical gate with narrowed white eyes.

Harry started, surprised. "My wand?" he echoed in disbelief.

"Yes, your wand," Batman said, not taking his eyes of the gate.

Frowning, Harry obediently took his wand out of his back pocket.

"Give it to me," Batman demanded.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why do you need it?" he asked suspiciously. He trusted Batman, but the Dark Knight had never asked for something as powerful as his wand before.

"I need to open the gate," Batman explained. "Dumbledore told me how, but I need a wand."

Oh. Harry figured than that was okay then. Without so much as a second thought, he handed it over.

Carefully, Batman took the wooden rod, weighing it in his hand. He was obviously examining it. Harry vaguely wondered what was going through his mind. But then he turned, pointing the tip precisely at a swirl in the gates design. Gently, he touched the tip of the wand to it.

As if on cue, the gates swung open, a slight haze Harry hadn't noticed beforehand lifting. The enchantments. The two of them walked through the gates without a challenge, and then the two massive doors swung shut behind them solidly once again.

Harry stared at Batman in amazement as the hero handed him back his wand. "That was it?" he asked in disbelief. "That's all you have to do to open the gates?"

"For now it is," Batman explained. "Dumbledore temporarily simplified it so I can come and go as I please during this mission."

Harry was baffled. He didn't think Dumbledore would ever give Batman that much trust.

Once again, Batman read his mind. "We had a deal," he explained. "If I could get someone to prove that I am trustworthy, then I get to come and go to Hogwarts as I please. And that means I need to be able to open the gates. That was our deal, and I'm holding him to it. He promised he'd make a non-magical way of letting me in later, but he needs to do some tinkering first."

Harry nodded, still slightly stunned by the power Batman now held. Of course, he _was _trustworthy. Of that, Harry was sure. He could just…feel it. Inside, he was also glad that Batman could come and go as he pleased. It meant—even if it was only a tiny hope—that Batman might come and visit him, once all this was over and he returned to Gotham. It kept the small possibility that they might meet again alive in Harry's heart.

_But don't think about that now_, Harry told himself firmly. He needed to focus on the present. Shaking those thoughts out of his mind, Harry turned his focus on the matter at hand.

"So…" he said, scanning the deserted land before him. Plain, grassy hills and assorted vegetation. "What's the plan?"

"I don't know," Batman said, frowning.

Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't _know_?" Harry thought Batman _always _had a plan.

Batman shook his head, opening his mouth to say something—but was cut off by a sudden flurry of beeping and blaring alarms.

Harry jumped back in alarm, staring in surprise at Batman. The Dark Knight was covering his ears in agony, the sudden cacophony of noise obviously coming off of him. His belt was blinking in several different colors and snatches of dialogue were coming from his cowl in waves, like a radio constantly changing channels.

"Any report on Batman?"

"None of the lowlife in London seems to have any clue-"

"Has anyone checked that muesum—"

"He's been missing over a week—"

"He was in London, he has to be around there somewhere—"

"What about Catwoman? Anyone find her?"

"We've been over this Robin, when Catwoman doesn't want to be found, she's pretty hard to find."

"This is hopeless."

"Wait! WAIT! His comlink just came online! And his tracker!"

"WHAT?"

"Oracle, find his position! NOW!"

"I'm working on it, I'm working on it—Batman? Batman can you hear me? It's Oracle, please respond!"

"TRACKER, OFF," Batman commanded aloud suddenly, and a robotic voice quickly beeped, "Tracker offline." "Comlink, off," Batman demanded as well, softer this time. "Comlink offline," the robotic voice beeped.

One of the voices coming from his cowl swore. "They went offline again!"

Another voice let out a string of swear words. "Did you get his position?"

"No. It went offline before I could pinpoint it."

Another string of swears.

"Do you think _he _did it? Or someone else?"

"I don't know… Why would he want to keep his location a secret? He must know we're all frantic."

"This_ is_ Batman we're talking about—"

The conversation was cut off as Batman whispered something, causing it to fade from Harry's range of hearing. But it was not off; Harry could still hear the slight buzz of sound coming from his mask, faint enough that he could no longer make out any words.

The two of them stood there for a long moment, until Harry could hold in his curiosity no longer.

"What…just happened?" he asked.

"That was my comlink," Batman explained, looking slightly disgruntled. Obviously, the conversation had disturbed him. "Alerts… and my…allies trying to get through to me."

"'Allies'?" Harry echoed. "Like, other heroes?"

Batman hesitated before nodding slowly.

"Then why didn't you answer them?" Harry asked, confused. If they were his friends, why wouldn't he answer? It was obvious they were frantic to know where he was.

"Because they could compromise this mission," Batman explained, draining the emotion from his voice, though the little bit of his face visible still betrayed some feeling. "They don't know you, and they don't know the importance of this mission. They'll all want to know where I disappeared to, and they'll all want an explanation of who you are and what I am doing. It would take up valuable time and complicate the matter. I don't want them to get in the way." He said the last sentence firmly, as if he was trying to convince himself too.

Harry frowned, processing the information slowly. It made sense…but it still didn't seem right for Batman to cut himself off from his friends. Then again, Batman could also be worried that they might get hurt. If the Die Katze was a powerful as Harry thought it was—which he was pretty sure it was—it could do some serious damage. Maybe Batman just wanted to keep his allies from harm. Now _that _Harry could understand. His mind flashed back to Ron, Hermione and the rest of his friends back at Hogwarts. He knew he would do anything to protect them, even if it meant cutting himself off from them.

Harry didn't speak this assessment aloud, but he knew deep down that this was the underlying reason of Batman's actions. He decided it was best not to push it.

He looked down at his feet. "So…no plan," he said slowly, acting like the comlink incident had never occurred.

"Our plan is to first get to London," Batman explained, his eyes narrowing. "How we're going to get there, I still haven't quite figured out yet. Do you have any idea where we are?"

"Uh, specifically?" Harry said, scanning their surroundings. "No clue. I never payed much attention to what route the Hogwarts Express takes. Though I don't think it's a normal one."

"Probably not," Batman agreed. "We'll have to use some other resource to fin—" he broke off suddenly, eyes widening.

Harry looked at him in alarm. "What is it?"

"We're outside the enchantments," Batman exclaimed, suddenly frantically digging in his belt. "That means all my gadgets are working!"

Smiling slightly, he pulled out a cell phone-like thing out of his belt and held it up in front of him. Deftly, he pressed the surface and grinned as the device turned on. Expertly, his fingers whirled across the blue screen of the device, pulling up holograms of things Harry had never seen before up before them. He stopped on one screen, magnifying it with his fingers and staring at it intently. It seemed to be a map, filled with lots of hills and very few civilizations. With a jolt, Harry realized it was where they were.

Batman seemed to be focusing on a small red dot on the map, blinking rapidly. Harry figured it must be them, even though he had absolutely no idea how Batman had gotten their location. He was about to open his mouth to ask when Batman answered it for him.

"I have our location from a satellite that I own," he explained. "I have a personal tracker on me that I can connect to the satellite to pinpoint my location at any time. I couldn't do it in Hogwarts though, because the enchantments rendered my gadgets useless. See?"

He pointed to the red dot. "That's us," he explained. "And _that_," he pointed to what seemed to be a sheer cliff that dropped down into a ravine behind them. "Is Hogwarts. It shows up on the map as a cliff to keep it hidden. Probably some enchantment that changes the satellite image."

"Okay…" Harry said slowly. "And that helps us…how?"

"I know where we are," Batman said, smirking. "And now I know how to get where we _want _to go. Get out your broom."

Obediently, Harry brought forward the Comet.

"We're going to need to fly," Batman explained. "At least to get London. I have my own ride once we get there. But for now…do you mind if I steer?"

"Uh…good ahead?" Harry said, slightly overwhelmed.

"Good," Batman said, taking the broom from him and straddling it, carefully tucking his cape into his belt so it wouldn't blow in the wind.

"Hop on."

~O~

Batman landed the broom on the roof of the nearest building, easily slipping off and holding the wooden handle steady as Harry shakily got off behind him. He had survived the flight fairly well, having flown on a broom before, but he was little shaky from the speed they had been flying. His already messy hair was twice as untidy. Batman smirked at him. The Comet Two-Sixty might be an "old" broom, but Batman had pushed it to its limit.

Untucking his cape, Batman pulled out his cell-phone thingy-magig again, checking their position as Harry hurriedly recovered from their rocky flight. Despite himself, he had enjoyed the ride. Batman was a _very_ reckless flyer, which had made the ride twice as fun for Harry.

Coming up next to Batman, Harry felt his stomach twist slightly at the sight of the ground far below, the roads ablaze with the lights of tons of cars zipping back and forth to wherever it was they were headed. London. The last time he had been here, he had been at Kings Cross, trying to figure out how to get onto Platform 9 ¾. It had only been a little while ago, but it felt like forever.

After a moment, he backed away from the edge of the roof slowly, feeling queasy. He wasn't scared of heights, but that didn't mean he liked them.

Batman seemed to have no such preference. He stood right on the edge of the roof, one foot resting carelessly up on the short wall that surrounded the top of the structure as he tapped away at the phone. Harry watched him, studying his new friend. He realized this was the first time he would be able to see the Dark Knight in his natural habitat: the city. He was interested to see how different he would act compared to the Batman he had come to know. And whether he liked it or not.

After a couple more minutes, Batman slipped the device back into his belt and turned to Harry.

"Come on," he said softly. "Our ride is here."

Harry frowned, brow furrowing. "What do you mean?" he asked. "What ride? Where?"

"You'll see," Batman said mysteriously, moving away from his position at the edge of the roof and walking over to the other side, facing their buildings neighbor. Without looking back, he stepped up onto the roof's side and jumped off, his cape billowing behind him. Harry felt his breath catch in his throat and he rushed to the spot where his friend had disappeared, leaning over and staring down below in astonishment.

Below him in the alley was the absolute coolest car Harry had ever seen. Sleek and black with matching tail fins in the shape of a bats wing, resting on sturdy terrain tires that were held in by silver plates bearing the symbol of a bat. A hatch in the top had been opened, revealing the interior of the car and a silent Batman in the drivers seat, looking up at him.

"Are you coming or not?" he called up, his rough voice holding a slight chuckle.

Harry's shock was wiped of his face as he grinned. Grabbing the Comet he recklessly jumped of the building, straddling the broom in thin air and landing perfectly next to the passengers side of the vehicle. Hastily, he opened the sleek black door and slipped inside the car as the hatch above him closed.

"Cool car," he breathed.

Batman smirked.

"I know."

~O~

Batman raced the Batmobile effortlessly through the back roads of London, feeling fairly light hearted. It felt good to be back behind the wheel of his faithful car again after a week without it. It was much more gratifying than he thought it would be. A map of London was pulled up on the computer screen next to him, leading him through the city on the roads he was least likely to come upon many pedestrians. If he was in Gotham, the map would have been hardly necessary, considering Bruce knew the streets of Gotham better than he knew his own home. But London wasn't Gotham, and he was unfortunately reliant on his tools to get him around.

He still wasn't entirely sure why he hadn't answered Oracle's call to him back outside the gates of Hogwarts. Something had told him not to. He didn't want Dick or any of his other partners to get involved. He wasn't entirely sure why, as he knew all of them could take care of themselves just fine, but this mission was different. He was with Harry. That changed things considerably. None of his colleagues had met him and Batman wasn't sure that introducing all of his allies—especially the super powered ones—to Harry all at once was the best idea. The young wizard was only eleven after all, and Batman was already bringing him into what might be potentially a very dangerous situation. Bringing in more people would only complicate things.

Not to mention they were dealing with Catwoman. Bruce felt his heart stir slightly at thought of her. It pained him to see her in such a position. A slave to the little statue, possessed by its powers. He was sure that it thoroughly ticked her off, being pushed around by a statue, especially one that _she _had stolen. Selina doesn't like answering to anyone and Bruce could scarcely imagine her frustration. It made him all the more determined to help her escape the Die Katze's powers and destroy it if he could. An object that powerful needed to be disposed of.

But he wasn't entirely sure how he was going to manage that. The Die Katze was incredibly powerful, of that Bruce was sure. Combine that with Catwoman's agility and abilities and you had a deadly combination. Batman shuddered to think what could happen when the Die Katze fully possessed Selina's mind. Kyle was not a killer. She had no interest in murdering people, only interest in things she wished to possess and maybe occasionally helping another if she had a reason or she felt like it. She loved Gotham just as much as Bruce did, and would do pretty much anything to protect it, except maybe give her life. The only thing that set them apart was that she occasionally crossed the line and stole as she pleased. But if she _did _want to, she could kill, and kill very effectively. If the Die Katze wanted to have someone disposed of while it was in complete control of Selina's mind, Batman was afraid that no will power of Catwoman's was going to stop the magical statue from reaching its goal.

Then again…he might be able to get through to her. The possibility remained and Bruce refused to let himself rule it out. He thought back to when he had seen Selina at Hogwarts. She had been possessed then, but she still had Selina's voice. That suggested that she still might have some control, or at least, was aware of what was happening around her, even if she was physically unable to do anything about it. Batman could use that. If he could get through to her and boost her willpower enough to help her overthrow the Die Katze mentally, he could get her back on his side; depleting the Die Katze of its host and only ally and gaining one himself at the same time.

It was a slim hope, but at least it was one. Batman was confident that if anyone could get through to Selina while she was possessed, it would be him. A small sadness briefly rushed through him as he remembered a time with her a couple months ago, on top of one of the many buildings of Gotham. He had just caught up with her after he had caught her pilfering a diamond-studded pair of cat earrings from a rich supermodel who had been staying in town. After a persistent chase of cat-and-mouse across the rooftops, Selina had come to a sudden stop on one top of one of the nicer roofs, sitting at the edge and dangling her feet over the end…

"_You got me," she purred as Batman swiftly landed beside her, cape swishing. _

_Batman narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What's your angle, Catwoman?" he growled._

_Selina shrugged good-naturedly. "Nothing," she said nonchalantly. "I just thought you'd might like to take a break from the normal routine for a little while."_

_Batman said nothing._

_She laughed. "Oh stop being so high and mighty," she said. "You don't fool me. Even you need a break once in a while. Sit down. I don't bite." She smiled rather mischievously at her last sentence, but nevertheless, Bruce found himself intrigued. Catwoman was truly unlike anyone he had ever met. One minute she was a thief, the next, a beautiful woman who was asking him to take a break from his ever-vigilant patrol and sit next to her for a couple minutes._

_Despite his better judgment, he sat. Granted, he never truly relaxed per se, but he did sit down, allowing his black-booted feet to dangle off the edge and letting his cape fall regally around him._

_Catwoman smiled at him. "Good," she said in satisfaction._

_._

"_Good what?" Batman growled, frowning._

"_Good for you," she said, grinning. "You actually have a heart. I'm thrilled."_

"_Hmpf," Bruce snorted, not amused. _

"_Oh, stop being such a grouch," Selina laughed, scooting up next to him. She put her hand swiftly into his as she did, grinning wickedly. Hurriedly, Bruce tried to pull away, but stopped as he felt something solid in between his hand and Catwoman's. _

_Carefully, he took it and pulled it out of her grasp. She didn't protest and Batman felt his eyes narrow in suspicion at the sight of the diamond cat earrings he now held in his hands._

_He looked up at he, and her mischievous grin widened. _

"_Why?" he asked._

"'_Cause your fun to play with," she said simply. "And sometimes I think even big, busy, scary Batmen need a break once in a while."_

"_What makes you think that?"_

_Selina thought about this for a moment before answering. "I don't know," she said finally. "You tell me." She leaned in slightly, pushing up her goggles to reveal her beautiful eyes. Unintentionally, Bruce felt himself leaning inward, and before he knew it, they were kissing. Every instinct told him to pull away, that this was unprofessional, but he couldn't. He felt his heart soar despite himself at the glorious feel of his lips on hers. It just seemed so…right._

_But as soon as it started, it was over, and Batman found himself slightly dazed as Selina gently pulled herself away. "I hope this was a worthy break," she breathed in his ear, before pulling away completely and letting herself slip off of the building, disappearing into the night and leaving Bruce once again alone, holding the two earrings in his gloved hand._

The memory was vivid and confusing as ever. Bruce had no idea why Catwoman sometimes acted as she did. She was predictable as well as unpredictable, as caring as she was cunning. Batman didn't think he'd ever be able to completely figure her out and surprised himself when he realized he didn't really care. Selina was one wild card he didn't mind in his crazy life as Batman, and he by no means wanted her to get hurt by the Die Katze. He wouldn't allow it. Not when _he _could do something about it.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice Harry staring at him for quite some time. But finally, after a couple minutes, the emerald stare of the small boy in the car next to him became too obvious to ignore.

"What?" he said gruffly, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Nothing," Harry said innocently. "You just…got all distant all of a sudden. Is something wrong?"

"No," he huffed, a little to harshly.

Harry frowned, obviously not believing him. "Is it Catwoman?" he asked softly, causing Batman to tense slightly. Unbelievable. It was like the kid could read his mind!

Not able to come up with a good response, Batman decided to ignore the question. He felt bad for doing that to Harry after what the boy had just done for him, but he didn't feel like his feelings for Selina was really any of Harry's business.

Harry wisely took the hint and shut up. But Batman could still see the glint of curiosity in his eyes and knew that he was far from giving up on the subject.

They kept driving in silence, Bruce switching his mind from his personal feelings back to work. He followed the map unerringly until they reached a small dark alley near the center of London. Stopping the car in the shadows, Batman took his hands off the wheel and began to tap the monitor rapidly.

Harry watched him work curiously. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Finding Catwoman," Bruce answered shortly, pulling up the lists of the many names of hotels available in the vast city and hurriedly sending a quick-and-easy hacking virus into each hotel's mainframe, breaking into their servers to bring up their lists of current residences.

Harry's eyes widened, obviously not following Bruce's actions. "How?" he said. "Do you know where she is?" 

"Where?" Batman said. "No. But who? Yes."

Harry shook his head, still not understanding. "I don't get it," he said. "What do you mean 'who'?"

"Catwoman is under another alias," Bruce explained testily, waiting impatiently for the virus to finish its job. "A woman by the name of Rachel Zee."

"Rachel Zee?" Harry repeated. "How did you find _that _out?"

"I met her," Batman explained slowly. "Before the museum incident. She didn't know it was me, but I recognized her and managed to extract her name. I didn't get a chance to look into where she was staying before she broke into the museum and escaped with the Die Katze…and then _you _found me."

"Oh," Harry said, nodding in understanding. But then his brow furrowed. "Wait…" he said. "How did you 'meet her'? Wouldn't she recognize you?"

_She did, _Bruce thought. _As Bruce Wayne, not Batman._ But he didn't say this to Harry.

"I was…in my _civilian_ identity," he explained carefully.

"Civilian…? Oh." Harry looked away as he understood Bruce's meaning. "Right."

Batman frowned. He felt bad for keeping his true identity from Harry, but he was reluctant to tell him. It was his biggest, most well kept secret, and he was sure even Harry had heard the name Bruce Wayne. As much as he liked Harry, he didn't think he was ready to reveal _that_ quite yet.

_At least not now, _he thought. _Maybe later, after all this is over._

If it was ever over. Batman found himself suddenly homesick for Gotham. He missed it, with its towering buildings and familiar gargoyles. He had only been away for a week or so, but it felt like an eternity.

The monitor beeped, causing Harry to jump beside him. Batman himself didn't react, though the noise brought him roughly back to reality. He took in the screens information quickly before typing in a keyword: Rachel Zee. Immediately, the high-tech machine began to run through the extensive list of names of the many residences of all the hotels in London until it came up with a match for a Miss Rachel Zee. Next to the name was the hotel she was staying in and the room number, 102. Without a word, Bruce typed in the hotels name into his GPS and restarted the Batmobile, leaving the dark alley far behind.

~O~

The Batmobile came to a stop two buildings down from the luxurious white hotel that Catwoman was staying in. Nestling the car into a shadowy corner of the alley between the two structures, Batman opened the hatch in the cars ceiling and swiftly jumped out.

Cape swishing, he looked down at Harry, who was looking back up at him, eyebrow raised.

"We're going in," Batman said. "Catwoman is staying in the white hotel two buildings down from here. Room 102, third floor. We're going to find her room and check out her situation. We assess it and find out what the Die Katze is planning, and make our move from there. Understand?"

Harry nodded, eyes wide. "Are we surveying her from the inside or the outside?" he asked as he clambered out of the car, broom in hand.

"Outside," Batman confirmed, smirking slightly. "I don't operate any other way."

Harry smiled back. "Well," he said, mounting his broom. "We better get going then, shouldn't we?"

"Lets," Batman agreed. He clicked a button on his belt and the hatch on the car closed, leaving it practically invisible in the shadows. It was almost complete dark outside now. Perfect.

He turned to Harry, who was waiting for him to give the go ahead.

Bruce felt his lips form into a smirk.

"Try an keep up," he said, before disappearing with a swish of his cape.

He heard Harry take off behind him, but he was already on the roof of the building, racing across its flat surface, grapple gun in hand and cape flapping madly behind him in his wake. Adrenaline coursed through his system as he leaped off the edge of the roof and felt the air rush through his ears as he deftly aimed his grapple gun at the next building.

As always, the sturdy line shot out and the titanium hook fastened to the roofs surrounding wall. Bruce tightened his arm muscles as he clung to the line and swung upwards, feet first. With a feeling of freedom he retracted the line and shot past the roof as his momentum carried him a good couple feet over it. He waited a moment for gravity to claim him before executing a perfect flip, landing gracefully and silently on the roof, his cape falling a second later around him.

Two seconds later, Harry touched down next to him, clutching the Comet with a sturdy, professional grip. He grinned at Batman, hair wild and green eyes dancing with excitement.

"It feels good to fly again," he admitted.

"It feels good to _move _again," Batman said, straitening from his landing crouch. "Really move. Like how _I _move."

Harry nodded in understanding, clearly remembering how agilely and fast Bruce had just cleared two buildings. "How'd you do that, anyway?" he asked.

"Grapple gun," Bruce answered simply, showing Harry the device in his hand before clipping it back on his belt. "And the Laws of Physics."

Harry shook his head. "Unbelievable," he murmured. "You were faster than my broom!"

"I'm faster than most things," Batman said smugly, moving past the first year and taking up position at the far end of the rooftop. Harry followed him, peering over the edge at the hotel before them.

"Big place," he observed.

"Expensive place," Bruce agreed. "Catwoman has expensive tastes."

Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes. "Get down," he ordered softly, dropping down into a crouch. Harry obliged, crouching down next to him and watching the Dark Knight carefully. "What is it?" he whispered. "Did someone see us?"

"I don't think so…" Batman said softly. "But I think I found our quarry." With a quick movement of his arm, he quickly extracted his high-tech binoculars, letting his head poke out over the wall. Putting the binoculars to his masked eyes, he zoomed in on the particular balcony on the third floor he had quickly glanced.

Sure enough, an image of a nice little hotel room presented itself to him. In it, a woman sat on the elegant bedspread, arms wrapped around her knees. She had short blond hair with highlights, but Bruce still recognized her pretty features and cunning bright eyes.

Selina.

He felt his heart rate increase slightly at the sight of her and had a sudden overwhelming urge to just swing in there, grab her, and get out of there. Mission accomplished. But he knew it wasn't that simple.

He looked passed her, zooming in the lenses of his binoculars more, revealing the problem sitting regally on the dresser. The Die Katze, watching Selina with its glowing red ruby eyes. As his binoculars focused on it, the energy detecting hardware in the device suddenly went haywire, detecting energy signatures coming off the Die Katze off the charts. The level of energy kept switching from between 500% to 600% in power, five times more than the most powerful energy signature it was built to recognize. The identification of the signature also kept switching, labeling it first as nuclear, then electric and then magical in source, before switching back to nuclear.

Bruce frowned at the readings, especially the last one. He had installed the magical energy identification in the binoculars for JLA purposes, when they were dealing with magical opposition. Although he had known that the Die Katze's powers could quite possibly be magical, the confirmation that they indeed were, at least a little bit, magical based was not at all comforting.

Eyes narrowing even further, Batman dropped back down behind the wall, putting the binoculars back in his belt.

Harry looked at him, eyes wide. "Is she in there?" he breathed.

Batman nodded.

Harry's eyes widened further. "The Die Katze too?"

Batman nodded again.

Harry exhaled sharply. "What's the plan?"

"Get in as close and as silently as possible," Bruce instructed carefully. "We must not let the Die Katze see us at all costs."

Harry nodded. "Move in silently, don't let the statue see us," he listed. "Got it."

"If it _does _spot us," Batman said slowly, "I want you to get out of there. Forget about me. Don't try anything noble, just get out and get out fast. Understand?"

Harry nodded. "I understand," he said confidently.

Bruce studied him carefully, contemplating. Then he frowned.

"I changed my mind," he said suddenly. "Stay here."

"What?" Harry exclaimed, emerald eyes filling with outrage.

"Stay here," Batman ordered. "It's too dangerous. I can't let you get hurt."

Without waiting for Harry to argue, he leapt up and vaulted over the edge of the building, leaving a very ticked Harry behind.

Clearing his mind off everything else, Batman planned his next move carefully. After he cleared the roof, he let gravity claim him for a moment, watching the hotel in front of him carefully. At the precise moment he wanted, he whipped out his grapple gun and shot it at the side of the hotel, bringing him shooting towards it still a good couple feet above the third floor and bringing him landing on a balcony with a soft thump.

Jumping to his feet in an instant, he peered warily into the hotel room whose balcony he had just landed. It was empty, like he had thought from a distance. Perfect. He was on the second floor.

One balcony above Selina's balcony.

His next move would be slightly trickier. He had to sneak down onto Selina's balcony unnoticed and silent, just close enough that he could hear whatever conversation that went on inside the hotel room clearly, _and_ be able to peak around the corner into the room and observe it without being detected. To do this, he was going to have to tether his Batline to the second floor balcony and carefully let himself down, hugging the hotel wall, and come down onto the left side of the third floor balcony below him, facing the room it was connected to. If he did it correctly, he would be standing at the point where the metal railing of the balcony met the wall of the hotel, concealed by the little bit of the wall that continued on to form the archway out to the balcony from the room, but still able to peek around the corner if need be. Perfect, if he did it without being heard or seen.

Pulling out his Batline, Bruce began to secure it to the balcony rail, but stopped when he heard a swooshing sound above him. He looked up just in time to see the tail of a broom sail over the top of the hotel above him. He narrowed his eyes.

Harry.

Temporarily abandoning the Batline, Bruce pulled out his grapple gun and aimed it unerringly at the roof. In one fluid motion, he shot it and allowed it to carry him upwards, falling into an easy flip and landing perfectly on his feet.

Sure enough, Harry stood before him, the Comet Two-Sixty in hand.

"I thought I told you to stay behind," he growled at the wizard, not happy at being disobeyed.

"If you really think I was just going to sit there and do nothing while you save the day you are very mistaken," Harry said defiantly, raising his chin. "You invited me on this mission. I plan on being a part of it."

Batman narrowed his eyes. "Go back to the car," he ordered.

Harry fixed his green stare on Batman. "Make me," he said stonily.

Batman opened his mouth to respond, but closed it as he noticed something familiar glinting in Harry's bright emerald eyes. Something he had noticed in another pair of eyes, long ago.

"_Go back to the cave, Dick," Bruce growled softly. "You aren't ready yet."_

"_I'm as good as," Robin shot back, lifting his chin defiantly. "Look, I even have my own costume!"_

"_You don't even have a mask."  
_

"_I do to! See?" He pulled out a little black domino mask and waved it in front of Batman's face._

"_Good for you," Bruce said sarcastically. "Now go back to the cave."_

_Dick crossed his arms. "Make me," he said fiercely, his eyes glinting with defiant fire. He smirked at Batman, before taking a dramatic run and jump off the building, yelling with glee as he swung away._

The memory came back so suddenly that Bruce found himself caught off guard by Harry's intense glare. The similarity it had to Dick's stare so long ago was uncanny. With a small sigh of defeat, Batman knew that like Dick, there would be no stopping Harry from helping him. Not without tying him to the roof and gagging him, that is.

"Fine," he sighed. "But you must stay absolutely quiet."

Harry nodded seriously. "I will," he promised.

"Follow me," Bruce instructed, jumping back off the building and letting his cape billow out behind him, holding the edges of the fabric to use the garment to slow his descent. Soundlessly, he landed on the second floor balcony. Above him, Harry remounted his broom and flew gracefully down after him, hovering beside him as he restarted securing his Batline.

"I could just fly you down," he offered, as Batman finished tying the line to the rail.

"Not necessary," Bruce said, clutching the line tightly as he climbed over the rail and began to push off the wall gently with his feet, lowering himself down to the balcony below. Lowering his voice to a whisper he said, "Now I want you to stay very silent. If they hear us, this whole mission could be compromised."

Harry nodded and shut up, tilting his broom handle down with the slightest of movements so that he would descend at the same pace as Batman, hovering as close as possible to the hotel wall.

They descended in silence until they both reached the third floor balcony. Slowly, and as quietly as possible, Bruce let his foot move away from the wall and move down to the sleek metal rail below him. Resting his boot firmly on the rail, he let his weight shift over to it as he placed his other foot carefully next to it, letting go of the Batline. Careful not to make a sound, he shifted over to his left until he was leaning against the hotel wall, tucking his cape into the back of his belt so it would not flutter in the wind.

Behind him, Harry moved the Comet slowly through the air so that it was parallel to the hotel, directing it over so that his leg brushed the stone. His eyes were wide, but he did not make a sound.

Turning his attention to the room, Batman allowed himself to peek around the corner, letting the least amount of him possible to be visible as he looked inside.

Selina was still on the bed, chin resting on her knees in silence, her gaze flickering nervously over to her dresser now and then, where the Die Katze sat, ruby eyes still glowing eerily in the semi-dark room. Its gaze was focused on her, cold and unrelenting, clearly daring Selina to try and make a break for it. Batman had no doubt that she had tried—Catwoman was certainly not a fan of being held prisoner. But by the look of the long gash that stuck out on her pale cheek, Bruce had a feeling the attempt must not have gone well.

He pulled himself back completely into concealment, having seen the room now from up close. The Die Katze had obviously purposely positioned itself on the dresser, which was just a few feet from the door, to keep Selina in the room. Selina herself was exhausted and out of options, and had no clue as to what to do next. Bruce suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pity for her predicament. He wanted nothing more to just jump in there and rescue her, smashing the Die Katze into millions of fragments with one throw of a Batarang. But it wasn't that simple. He would be no match for the Die Katze's powers. The book in the Hogwarts library and the readings from his binoculars had told him that well enough.

He listened intently for a couple minutes, hoping a conversation would start up between the demon statue and its prisoner. Something that could give him information, something to work with other than just Selina's obvious situation and their location They were good starts, but Bruce needed more if he would ever have any hope of defeating the Die Katze. He needed more information about it and its powers, and there was only one way to find it: the source.

But after a good five more minutes passed, Batman was starting to lose hope. If a conversation didn't start, then this whole trip had been pointless. He hadn't retrieved any valuable info other than where the Die Katze was staying and that Selina was indeed being held against her will by the demonic feline, which was not extremely helpful. He needed them to talk, but there was no way he could force the two of them to start a conversation.

Unless…

Poking his face around the corner slightly again, Bruce tried desperately to make eye contact with Catwoman. She still had her head resting on her knees, staring dejectedly at the wall.

_Turn around, _Bruce thought silently, daring to let his head poke out a tad more. _Turn around!_

And as if she could sense his presence, Selina's eyes flickered towards the balcony.

Bruce saw her green eyes widen slightly as she spotted him, but she did not make a sound. She didn't move a muscle, keeping her chin still resting dejectedly on her knees. The only thing that proved that she had seen him was her eyes, which were still fixed sideways at him from the bed. She stared at him for a minute, before letting her gaze flick worriedly back at the Die Katze, which was still watching her. Then they flicked back to Batman.

She didn't say a word, but her eyes said it all.

_What are you **doing **here? Are you crazy? Get out of here before it sees you!_

Slowly, with barely detectable movement, Batman shook his head.

Selina narrowed her eyes. _Why?_

Silently, Bruce dropped into a crouch so that he was too low for the Die Katze to see over the bed. He extended his arm just far enough that his hand was visible from around the wall. Shaping his fingers so that his four fingers were flat and pressed together tightly with his thumb underneath, he moved his thumb and fingers apart and then back together again, like a mouth. He repeated the motion three times, before retracting his hand again, and poking his head out slightly to see Catwoman's response.

Recognition shinned in her eyes as she understood his meaning.

_Talk._

With the faintest of movements, she nodded, before motioning with her finger at her side for Bruce to hide behind the wall again. Batman nodded slightly before concealing himself. He held his breath, crossing his fingers and waving at them Harry, who copied the movement.

After a moment, Selina's voice rang out.

"How long do you plan on staying here?" she asked. Her voice was calm and gave nothing away.

There was a small silence, then another voice answered.

"_Until I return to full power," _the Die Katze hissed, the powerful, bone chilling voice sounding inside Batman's head just as it had when he had confronted it back at the gates of Hogwarts. _"It will not be long now. The magic from the broom has strengthened me considerably."_

Batman heard Harry breathe in sharply behind him. He glanced at the boy to see him gripping the Comet tightly, his knuckles white. _It has my broom! _His eyes screamed angrily.

Batman nodded, putting a finger to his lips in reminder that he must stay quiet. Soundlessly, he turned back around.

He heard the sound of fabric shifting as Selina moved slightly from her position on the bed. "How long is not long?" she ventured.

"_Only a couple days," _the cat replied carelessly. _"Two or three at the most. I must rest, and fully gain hold on this new source of power. "_

"Then what?" Selina asked.

There was a hiss and Batman tensed slightly, worried that Selina had gone too far. "I believe I have told you this already," The Die Katze hissed. "You are my servant, why do you need to know more?"

"I am sorry Bast," Selina said, though she didn't sound sorry. "It's just hard for my mortal mind to process all this information."

"_Do NOT call me by my given name!" _The cat spat angrily, and Harry flinched. _"You will address me as 'Your Highness' and nothing else."_

"I-I'm sorry, Your Highness," Selina recovered, though Bruce detected the hidden resentment in her voice in using the name.

"_Forgiven, this time," _the Die Katze hissed. _"Though I guess it is true. I could not expect your puny mind to comprehend the sheer wonder of my abilities and plans. I will repeat my plan, though only once more."_

"Thank you, Your Highness," Catwoman said, and Bruce felt his pulse increase slightly. She'd done it. Selina had managed to get the Die Katze to tell her of her plan so that Batman could hear. This mission wouldn't be a flop after all. Allowing a satisfied smile to take over his lips, Bruce moved in slightly closer, pulling a miniscule tape recorder out of his belt and pressing the 'On' button.

"_Once I gain control over this new power I have obtained from the broomstick you have collected for me, I will be strong enough to fully transfer myself from this cursed statue into your body, taking over your conscious with mine," _the Die Katze proclaimed_. "You can resist me, but it will do you no good. I am too powerful now to be stopped by your puny will. Once I take you over as my new host, I will find a new kingdom to dwell in while I raise my army of loyal cats to find my dear sibling Set. He will pay for trapping me in this cursed form! "_

There was a short pause after the cat finished speaking. Batman struggled to keep his breathing even and quiet as the sound of his heart pounding filled his ears. So the book he had read in Hogwarts had been right. The statue _was _the prison for the ancient Egyptian Cat Goddess, Bast. Unbelievable. Could this week get any more bizarre?

"Where do you plan on finding this new 'kingdom' for yourself once you are ready?" Selina asked softly, breaking the silence.

There was a short pause as the cat considered. _"Hmmm," _it murmured to itself. _"I have not yet decided. Maybe that castle we were just at. Yesss that place holds much power, much magic that I can use. I think I will make that my new palace. What do you say?"_

"A wonderful place," Catwoman agreed, careful to keep her voice neutral. Behind Batman, Harry yelped slightly. Batman whirled around, placing his hand over Harry's mouth to stop him from making any more noise.

The eleven year old shook his head frantically, eyes wide. Batman put his finger to his lips, waving it madly. _Stay quiet! Do you want it to find us?_

After a moment, Harry calmed down enough for Batman to release his hand. He looked worried, but Bruce ignored him temporarily. The conversation had stopped inside the room, and he risked poking his head out slightly to see what was going on inside.

Catwoman was still sitting on the bed and the Die Katze was still on the dresser, jeweled eyes still not wavering from Selina. Selina herself was watching Bruce out of the corner of her eye, obviously having been waiting for him to reappear. Placing her hand at her side, she made a slight shooing motion. _Get out of here! _Her eyes told him. _You can't help me right now. Get out of here and find away to stop her. I'll be okay. _

Batman was reluctant to leave her, but he knew she was right. _Thank you, _he mouthed, meaning every bit of the unspoken two words.

She allowed herself to smile slightly, eyes twinkling. _Glad I could help. _They said. _Now get out of here, ya stupid flying rodent!_

Batman smirked at himself at her silent good bye, before disappearing behind the wall again, leaving Selina alone. Turning the tape recorder off and placing it safely back in his belt; he nodded at Harry once, before taking hold of his Batline again. Harry got the message and carefully moved his Comet away from the wall before angling the handle upward, sending him shooting silently skyward. Batman quietly followed him, clambering up the rope effortlessly with his well-seasoned arms.

When he reached the second floor balcony, Harry his opened his mouth to speak, but Batman once again covered his mouth, shaking his head. He didn't want to risk them being heard. They needed to get out of there undetected at all costs. He pointed to the roof, signaling they could talk there.

Harry nodded and took off again, disappearing onto the roof above. Batman untied the Batline, securing it back onto his belt before taking out his grapple gun and following.

Only when Batman had successfully landed on the roof did Harry finally speak.

"She's going to take over Hogwarts!" he moaned, clearly distraught over the news. His green eyes were wide with worry, and although the info had not surprised Batman—he had actually been thinking that the Die Katze might try to take refuge in the magical castle—he did not blame the boy for being worried. The castle was, from what he had gathered from the little bit Harry had told him about his past, Harry's home. It was only human to be worried when it was threatened.

"Don't fret over it just yet, Harry," he assured the scared eleven year old soothingly. "Remember, the Die Katze is still not at full power. It said itself that it still needed a couple days to reach full power. It can't attack Hogwarts until then."

"Two to three days," Harry said. "That's all. That's not a lot of time!"

"No," Batman admitted. "But you also have me, Dumbledore, and a whole castle of witches and wizards on your side. Things are not all yet lost. Think about it. We have information. Knowledge is power. We know what the Die Katze is going to do, and we have at least some sort of a picture of what we're up against. That's two things: knowledge of what is going to happen, and knowledge of what it is that is going to make it happen. That's two very good things to have when building a plan to prevent what our opponent _wants _to happen from happening. You follow me?"

Harry sniffled quietly. "Yeah," he said softly, though he didn't sound very convinced.

"Harry," Batman said quietly, crouching down so that he was at Harry's level and placing his gloved hands firmly on Harry's small shoulders. "I will do everything in my power to prevent the Die Katze from taking over your school. Believe me, I will. Promise me in saying you will not give up, no matter what."

Harry bit his lip, but looked up, his green eyes meeting Batman's masked ones. Worry, fear and unshed tears filled them, and Bruce was reminded with a jolt how _young _Harry was. Only eleven and his parents had already been murdered and now his friends and school were in danger. Batman's heart went out to him, remembering how _he _had grown up, amongst the terror and corruption of Gotham, an orphan, wanting nothing more than to _do _something, but being powerless to do so. Then, anyway.

But as he stared into Harry's eyes, something new emerged. Something strong and solid. Courage, strong and pure, growing in Harry's incredibly bright green eyes and overtaking the fear and worry and replacing it. As Bruce watched, Harry's eyes changed from that of a scared eleven year old into those of a man beyond his years, solid and courageous, prepared to protect his school and defeat the enemy.

"I promise," he vowed, eyes sparkling with the newfound courage.

Batman couldn't help but smile. "That's the Harry I know," he said softly. He patted Harry's shoulder softly, before standing again.

"Where are we going now?" Harry asked.

Batman looked out over the lit up streets of London, face grim with new determination.

"Back to Hogwarts," he said after a moment. "Dumbledore was right when he said we're going to need some magical help to defeat the Die Katze. We need to tell him what we've found and devise a plan from there."

"Then what?" Harry pressed.

"Then?" Batman turned around, looking back at the young wizard before him.

"Then we kick some kitty behind."

Harry smirked.

"I like the sound of that."


End file.
